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SCMP Sport

Lydia Ko said she was on “cloud nine” after a dramatic day at St Andrews, where the Olympic champion won the Women’s Open on Sunday, her first major title in eight years.
Three weeks after taking gold in Paris, Ko birdied the final hole at the Old Course for a three-under-par 69 to beat a who’s who of stars, including defending champion Lilia Vu, world No 1 Nelly Korda, China’s Yin Ruoning and two-time Open winner Shin Ji-yai.
Ko finished at seven-under for the tournament, two shots clear of the chasing pack on a day when she also had to battle the wind and rain that battered the Scottish coast all week.
“It’s been a crazy past few weeks,” said Ko, whose last major title was the 2016 ANA Inspiration. “You know, something that was too good to be true happened and I honestly didn’t think it could be any better, and here I am as the AIG Women’s Open champion this week.
“Obviously that being here at the Old Course at St Andrews, it makes it so much more special.”

Ko entered the final day three shots back of third-round leader Shin Ji-yai, a two-time Women’s Open champion. And the South Korean was in position for a potential hat-trick, until a trio of bogeys on the back nine led to a 74 and a five-under finish, alongside Vu, Korda and Yin.
Ko made three birdies through 14 holes before taking her only bogey of the day at No 15. At the famed par-4 17th, the “Road Hole,” she stuffed her second shot to 20 feet of the cup to set up a crucial two-putt par.
“On 15, I thinned my 3-wood into the green and hit into the bunker,” Ko said. “So my biggest goal [at 17] was to make solid contact. And honestly it was so windy and rainy, I saw that the ball was heading towards the pin but I had no idea that it was on that second tier [of the green].
“That’s probably one of the best, you know, punch shots or shots I’ve hit coming down the stretch.”
Ko then stuck her wedge shot at No 18 close and sank the all-important, left-to-right birdie putt.
At that point, the only player with a chance to tie Ko was Vu, who stood six under as she hit her tee shot on 18. Her drive left her 32 yards to the pin, but her chip shot was off target, giving her a 20-foot putt for a birdie.
Her effort was about a feet short, giving Ko the win. Vu missed the short par putt, leading to a bogey, a round of 73 and in the tie for second.
Winning Olympic gold earned Ko the final point necessary to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame. Now with three major championships in tow, it’s all but certain Ko will be inducted someday.
“I don’t think there’s a word in the dictionary that can explain what just happened,” Ko said.
“But somebody put it into perspective before I won the gold – they said, try to think of like getting into the Hall of Fame as like a gas station on the way to my final destination and not like my final destination.
“I think for a while, that was my goal. I was making it seem like, OK, that was my end point, and I think after hearing that, that put it into perspective of saying, you know, it’s not like I’m going to get in the Hall of Fame and say, ‘Bye-bye, golf.’
“I’m still planning to play. I think that just make it easier to say, you know, if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen, and I’m also going to focus on what’s in front of me. I think this past three weeks was kind of like a representation of that scale.”


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Olympic champion Ko ‘on cloud nine’ after battling wind, rain, star quartet to Women’s Open title

Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko (right) top amateur Lottie Woad pose with their trophies at St Andrews. Photo: AFP

South Korea’s Shin Ji-yai acknowledges the crowd after finishing on the 18th green. Photo: AP

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South Korea’s Shin Ji-yai tees off on 18 on day three of the 2024 Women’s Open Golf Championship at St Andrews. Photo: AFP

United States’ Lilia Vu made three birdies in her closing five holes to move into second. Photo: AP

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United States’ Nelly Korda lines up a putt on the 9th green during the second round of the Women’s Open at St Andrews. Photo: AP

Sport

Golf

Lydia Ko shoots three-under 69 to beat likes of Lila Vu, Nelly Korda and Yin Ruoning by two strokes at St Andrews


Lydia Ko shoots three-under 69 to beat likes of Lila Vu, Nelly Korda and Yin Ruoning by two strokes at St Andrews.


Olympic champion Ko ‘on cloud nine’ after battling wind, rain, star quartet to Women’s Open title

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Lydia Ko shoots three-under 69 to beat likes of Lila Vu, Nelly Korda and Yin Ruoning by two strokes at St Andrews

Lydia Ko shoots three-under 69 to beat likes of Lila Vu, Nelly Korda and Yin Ruoning by two strokes at St Andrews