Lydia Ko made her first start on the LPGA Tour since winning the AIG Women’s Open earlier this summer. She dominated in Ohio at the Kroger Queen City Championship to claim her third victory of 2024. The New Zealander also won the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal.
Ko fired off a bogey-free 9-under 63 Sunday to finish the tournament at 23-under overall. She made seven birdies and an eagle on the round. The Hall of Fame player only made one bogey all week as she recorded her 134th bogey-free round on the LPGA since 2014.
This victory marks her 22nd LPGA career win as she puts an end to the retirement talk.
Many speculated she would call it quits after winning the AIG Women’s Open. Still, after this week and what she said to Golf Channel’s Amy Rogers after this week’s victory, it is hard to believe it is time for her to leave professional golf.
“I think it’s always been the goal of mine to do the career grand slam,” Ko said. “I thought that would be so out there. I feel like I’ve already been part of this fairytale, so why not?”
This week was the first time since 2016 that she won back-to-back starts.
She joins Nelly Korda as the only two players to win three-plus times this season.
“It’s been pretty surreal,” she said.
“I had the most unbelievable three weeks in Europe, and having another three weeks off, you’re not sure what it will be like. I started this event strong, playing well the first couple of days. I hung in there yesterday, and I knew that Jeeno and the other girls wouldn’t play bad golf, so I got to play even better golf. To have a round like this to cap off a win is pretty special.”
Now Ko is off to Korea to play on the KLPGA and immediately begins to play there.
Jeeno Thitikul finished second behind Ko at 18-under after she shot a 2-under 70. Haeran Ryu finished third at 17-under overall. Yuka Saso was solo fourth at 16-under after she signed for a 7-under 65.
Nelly Korda and Hyo Joon Jang tied for fifth at 14-under overall.
Next on the LPGA is the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, AK.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.
