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Josh Ball

By her own admission, Lydia Ko typically has not played well at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in the past – but she changed that in emphatic fashion on Sunday and erased any doubts she had about what the year may hold.
A three-under-par 69 at Sentosa Golf Club took Ko to 13 under for the tournament, four shots better than her nearest challengers Jeeno Thitikul and Ayaka Furue, in what was a largely untroubled final round.
The 27-year-old has not always enjoyed her time in Singapore, with a tie for 34th last year more representative of past performances than the second place she managed in 2015.
But the New Zealander had something of a banner year in 2024, winning Olympic gold, the Women’s Open and becoming the youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Tour’s Hall of Fame.

There was some uncertainty as to whether she could back that up, not that Ko was necessarily concerned with what lay ahead. The result: a 23rd LPGA Tour title.
“You have such an incredible year, and you kind of think, is it going to be another good year, the following one?” Ko said.
“But I just kind of came to peace with it, that if I have a good year, you know, that’s great. But I’m not trying to prove anything to anybody else, and who is to say that, you know, I had a great year, and I can’t have an even better one.”
Ko started the day at 10 under, a stroke ahead of Charley Hull and three clear of Thitikul. The latter was the only one to put any pressure on Ko, with the 22-year-old Thai briefly closing to within a shot of the leader after birdies on the first and fourth holes.
Any realistic challenge disappeared under the weight of Ko’s three consecutive birdies from the sixth hole, but it wasn’t until a long birdie putt on the par-three 15th that the three-time major winner started to think it was her day.
“My big goal was just to two-putt,” Ko said. “I honestly didn’t think it was going in until it lipped in. When those kind of things happen, you think, maybe it is going to be my time to win the event.”
Not even a bogey, when Ko missed a short putt on the par-three 17th, could dampen proceedings, while behind her, Thitikul and Furue battled it out for second, finishing level on nine under after rounds of 70 and 68 respectively.
Hull’s hopes of winning for the first time ended in a succession of putts left short on the front nine, and back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12 put paid to her chances.
Having started the day in second, the Englishwoman ended it in a three-way tie for fourth alongside Gaby Lopez and Im Jin-hee on seven under, having carded a 74.
While Ko was adding to her already impressive CV, China’s Miranda Wang was ending her LPGA Tour debut with a one-over 73, finishing at one under overall and in a respectable tie for 29th.
The 26-year-old parred her first 10 holes, but then had three bogeys and two birdies coming home. Wang said that “putting is a better part of my game, but today, the putter just didn’t perform”.

Still, for the Beijing-born golfer, the week had been more about the experience and learning from a field packed with golfers who have already won at the highest level.
“I just think it’s a great opportunity to start my season at this event,” said Wang, who played on a sponsor’s invite. “Normally, rookies will start later in the season, like in the West Coast tournaments, where there are bigger fields.
“Everyone here, they have won something and they’re great players, and to play among them is a good learning opportunity. I think I did OK – I can improve, but [I’m] not anything less than them and I’m happy to know that.”


HSBC Women’s World Championship: Lydia Ko wins in Singapore, eyes ‘even better’ year

HSBC Women’s World Championship: Lydia Ko takes third-round lead in Singapore

HSBC Women’s World Championship: Olympic champion Lydia Ko one shot off lead at Sentosa

HSBC Women’s World Championship: relief for China’s Miranda Wang on LPGA debut

LPGA Tour

Lydia Ko with the trophy after winning the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore. Photo: AFP

Lydia Ko is showered with champagne after clinching victory at Sentosa Golf Club. Photo: AFP

Jeeno Thitikul tees off during the final round of the Women’s World Championship. Photo: AP

Ronnie O’Sullivan withdraws from snooker World Grand Prix in Hong Kong

Ronnie O’Sullivan plays in Macau last December. Photo: Xinhua

Ronnie O’Sullivan was a crowd favourite at the Hong Kong Masters in 2022. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Miranda Wang hits her opening tee shot during the first round at Sentosa Golf Club on Thursday. Photo: HSBC Women’s World Championship

Miranda Wang checks her yardage book on Thursday. Photo: HSBC Women’s World Championship

Sport

Golf

New Zealander follows her memorable 2024 by lifting title at Sentosa Golf Club, with Jeeno Thitikul and Ayaka Furue in tie for second


New Zealander follows her memorable 2024 by lifting title at Sentosa Golf Club, with Jeeno Thitikul and Ayaka Furue in tie for second.
