KO BECOMES YOUNGEST WOMEN’S MAJOR WINNER
With two holes left to play in her bid to become the youngest LPGA major champion in the Evian Championship, Lydia Ko stayed as relaxed and composed as a seasoned veteran. The South Korean-born New Zealander birdied both in Evian-Les-Bains, France, on the shores of Lake Geneva to reach a new landmark in her short but already storied career. A flawless final-round display — featuring spectacular approaches and clinical putts among her eight birdies — made Ko the youngest major champion in LPGA history Sunday. She closed with an 8-under-par 63 for a six-stroke victory over Lexi
Thompson at the final major of the season. It was the best round of this year’s tournament, a score that helped her to a ninth career victory with a 16-under total of 268. “To say that I’m the youngest in history for now, it’s so cool,” Ko said. Ko is 18 years, 4 months, 20 days old. She eclipsed the record set by American Morgan Pres
sel, who was 18 years, 10 months, 9 days old when she won the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2007. While Ko thrived under pressure, Mi Hyang Lee crumbled. The South Korean had an overnight lead of one stroke over Thompson but finished tied for fourth place, nine back.