Ko soaks up victory in Singapore as Saso rallies for 6th

MANILA, Philippines — Former world No. 1 Jin Young Ko kept her nerves in check and came through with clutch putts to ward off Americans Nelly Korda, Daniella Kang and Allisen Corpuz, finishing with a run of pars in heavy rains to beat Korda by two with a 69 and capture the Women’s World Championship crown for the second straight year in Singapore Sunday.

Not even another hour-long delay at the finish due to inclement weather could dampen the South Korean’s spirits as she built enough cushion with key pars to hold off Korda’s two-birdie charge in the last five holes in the $1.8 million championship held back by numerous rain delays at Sentosa’s Tanjong course.

But Ko didn’t hold back in pursuit of back-to-back victories and heralded her return to form after a long struggle that dropped her from top of the world ranking to No. 5 with a win on a 17-under 271 total worth $270,000, matching her output and two-shot triumph over Aussie Minjee Lee and compatriot In Gee Chun last year.

Play was suspended due to lightning threat with the final group on its approach to the par-5 16th as rainstorm submerged the closing greens, rendering them unplayable. At resumption, Ko, a Solaire ambassadress, brimmed with confidence with a three-shot lead over the American troika and went for pars though she failed to hold back her emotions in the rain as they reached the 18th green.

Korda birdied the last hole to match Ko’s closing card, falling to complete a run of 68s by one stroke. But her 273 total netted her solo second with unfancied Japanese Ayaka Furue rallying with a 67 to tie Kang and Corpuz, who carded 68 and 69, respectively, at third with 274s.

Earlier, Yuka Saso mounted a blistering final round charge that however went down the drain at the finish, but her day’s best six-under 66 lifted her to sixth on a 275 aggregate.

Seven down with 18 holes left, the ICTSI-backed Saso worked her way back with a three-birdie binge from No. 5. From there, the putts kept dropping for the 2021 US Women’s Open champion, who hit four more birdies in the next nine holes to pull within two off Ko, barely missing an eagle-bid on the 16th.

But she three-putted the par-3 17th after hacking her tee shot to the opposite side of the pin. She came up short with her first putt and missed a par-saving bid from 10 feet.

Saso also missed her approach shot on the par-4 closing hole, dumping it into the greenside bunker. But she gathered herself and blasted to within tap-in distance for par and pocketed $61,584.

Her strong finish is expected to further boost her confidence as the LPGA Tour heads back to the US on March 23-26 for the $1.75 million Drive On Championship in Gold Canyon, Arizona where Ko and a slew of top guns are also competing.