Strong finish nets Ko Women's World Championship crown; Saso ends up T-43

MANILA, Philippines — Yielding the halfway lead, Jin Young Ko never got discouraged, aware of her form and of her ability to overcome adversities.

Throughout the final round, she kept on stalking the leaders who changed hands as fortunes shifted from one side to another until the Korean world No. 1 strung up four clutch birdies from No. 13 to wrest control as the erstwhile frontrunners crumbled under gnawing pressure.

She birdied five of the last six holes to shoot a 66 and beat an equally hot-finishing Aussie Minjee Lee and compatriot In Gee Chun by two in the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore on Sunday.

The world No. 1 actually was slugging it out with fellow Korean Jeongeun Lee6 and Thai Atthaya Thitikul in a fierce stretch run skirmish at Sentosa's Tanjong course but while Ko flashed her all-around brilliance and mental toughness, her rivals wilted when push came to shove and faded one after the other.

That enabled Ko, 26, to clinch the championship in record fashion, capping her explosive finish with a bending birdie from long range to finish with a 271 total. Her 66 also stretched her run of scores in the 60s to 15 straight, an LPGA Tour record.

Earlier, Yuka Saso finally found her range and touch, closing out with a 69 anchored on five birdies although she still fumbled with a double-bogey that ruined an otherwise strong finish.

Starting at joint 45th in the final round, the reigning US Women’s Open champion snapped a three-par game at the back with four birdies in the next six holes to gain some spots in the rankings. But after another four-par run at the front, she hit a couple of errant shots and wound up with a 7 on the par-5 No. 5 then holed out with a birdie for a 37-32.

She totaled a 286 and tied for 43rd in a field of 65. She received $7,594.

“I played well but it’s tough to play you fellow Koreans, who are my close friends,” said the Solaire-backed Ko, referring to Chun and Lee6.

“But I was confident in the backnine. I really wanted to get this trophy. Finally, I made it and I can’t wait to play in 2023,” added Ko during the awards rites. She pocketed the top purse of $255,000.

Thitikul surged ahead with Lee6 at 15-under with her sixth birdie in the day on No. 13. But as the pressure mounted, she started to crack, flubbing a short birdie putt on the par-5 16th and bogeying the next par-3 hole.

She settled for a 67 and tumbled to joint fourth with Lee6, who double bogeyed the last hole for a 698, at 274.

In a flight ahead, Lee bettered Ko’s finish with four straight birdies as she posted the tournament-best nine-under 63 to snatch runner-up honors at 273 with Chun, who also closed out with a three-under card.

It was Ko’s sixth triumph in the last 10 LPGA events, including five last year, with the victory marking the start of her campaign this year after skipping the first three legs in Florida in January and February.

in contrast, it was a big letdown for the ICTSI-backed Saso, who came into the $1.5 million event oozing with confidence coming off a long rest and a homecoming to Manila. 

But she vowed to do better in this week’s Honda LPGA Thailand firing off Thursday at the Siam Country Club’s Pattaya Old course in Chonburi, which wraps up the two-leg Southeast Asian swing of the LPGA Tour.

The touring ladies head back to California on March 24-27 for the JTBC Classic at the Aviara Golf club in Carlsbad.