MAINEVILLE, Ohio — Lydia Ko extended her incredible summer streak when she turned a two-stroke deficit into a rout by closing with a 9-under 63 to win the Kroger Queen City Championship and earn her third LPGA Tour title of the season.
Ko won for the third time in her last four starts, including her Olympic gold medal that gave the 27-year-old New Zealander enough points for the LPGA Hall of Fame.
It also includes another major, the Women's British Open, this one at St. Andrews.
“It's been pretty surreal,” Ko said after his five-shot victory at TPC River's Bend over Jeeno Thitikul, who closed with a 70 and simply couldn't keep up.
Thitikul was two shots ahead after eight holes of the final round. Three holes later, the Thai was chasing the most outstanding player in women's golf.
Thitikul bogeyed the par-4 ninth. Ko holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 10th to tie for the lead, then moved two ahead with a 12-foot eagle putt on the par-5 11th.
Ko took control for good with a pair of two-shot swings: he birdied and Thitikul bogeyed holes 13 and 15.
Thitikul two-putted for birdie on the closing par-5 hole to finish at least solo in second place, one stroke ahead of Haeran Ryu (67).
“It's crazy, totally crazy. Her putter was on fire today,” Thitikul said of playing alongside Ko. “I respect her as my older sister, as a legend and also as my role model. It was a really good experience to look into her eyes on the same tee box, on the same greens, like I was in a VIP seat.”
Nelly Korda, the No. 1 ranked player in women's golf who still holds a comfortable lead in the Race to the CME Globe with her six wins this year, shot 68 and tied for fifth, nine shots back.
Ko, who finished at 23-under 265, now has 22 career LPGA wins. It was the fifth time she has had at least three wins in the same season on the LPGA. Her biggest year was when she earned five wins as an 18-year-old and reached the world No. 1 ranking.
Ko also won the season-opener in Florida in January, but there were times earlier this summer when she wondered if she would ever get the final victory needed for the LPGA Hall of Fame.
He made sure of it with Olympic gold in Paris, won his third major at St. Andrews and, after a three-week break, returned to play as if nothing had changed.
“I had the most amazing three weeks in Europe. And now, after having another three weeks off here, I'm not entirely sure what it's going to be like,” Ko said.
Going into the final round, she was two shots behind Thitikul and was hoping for a strong run. The Thai did, but fell back with bogeys on holes 9, 13 and 15 and Ko was on her way to another victory.
Ko had the lowest round of the week at TPC River's Bend, which was used this year while Kenwood Country Club makes some improvements to the course.
“To be able to celebrate a round like this to cap off a win is pretty special,” he said.
Next week, Ko will travel to South Korea to contest the Hana Financial Group Championship. It will be a chance for her to reach 30 career titles worldwide, including victories on the LPGA in Korea, the Ladies European Tour and the ALPG Tour in Australia.
