Ko cruises to Kroger Queen City win for 3rd LPGA title of year

MAINEVILLE, Ohio — Lydia Ko extended her amazing summer run when she turned a two-shot deficit into a rout by closing with a 9-under 63 to win the Kroger Queen City Championship for her third LPGA Tour title of the season.

Ko won for the third time in her last four starts, which includes her Olympic gold medal that gave the 27-year-old from New Zealand enough points for the LPGA Hall of Fame.

It also includes another major in the Women’s British Open, this one at St. Andrews.

“It’s been pretty surreal,” Ko said after her five-shot victory at the TPC River’s Bend over Jeeno Thitikul, who closed with a 70 and simply couldn’t keep up.

Thitikul was two shots ahead after eight holes of the final round. Three holes later, the Thai was chasing the hottest player in women’s golf.

Thitikul made bogey on the par-4 ninth. Ko made a 10-foot birdie putt on the 10th hole to tie for the lead, and then pulled ahead by two shots with a 12-foot eagle putt on the par-5 11th.

Ko seized control for good with a pair of two-shot swings — she made birdie and Thitikul made bogey on the 13th and 15th holes.

Thitikul two-putted for birdie on the par-5 closing hole to at least finish alone in second, one shot ahead of Haeran Ryu (67).

“It’s just like insane — it’s super insane. Her putter was on fire today,” Thitikul said of playing alongside Ko. “I respect her as like my older sister, as a legend, and also as my role model. It was such a really good experience watching her in my eyes on the same tee box, on the same greens, just like VIP seat.”

Nelly Korda, the No. 1 player in women’s golf who still has a comfortable lead in the Race to CME Globe with her six victories this year, had a 68 and tied for fifth, nine shots behind.

Ko, who finished at 23-under 265, now has 22 career LPGA victories. It was the fifth time she has at least three wins in the same season on the LPGA, her biggest year coming with five wins when she was 18 and reached No. 1 in the world.

Ko also won the season opener in Florida in January, but there were times early in the summer when she wondered if she would ever get the final victory needed for the LPGA Hall of Fame.

She took care of that with Olympic gold in Paris, won at St. Andrews for her third major and, after a three-week break, picked up as though nothing had changed.

“I had the most unbelievable three weeks in Europe. And now after having another three weeks off here, not entirely sure what it’s going to be like,” Ko said.

She was two shots behind Thitikul going into the final round and was expecting Thitikul to keep going strong. The Thai did, but she fell back with bogeys on the ninth, 13th and 15th holes and Ko was on her way to another victory.

Ko had the low round of the week at the TPC River’s Bend, which was used this year while Kenwood Country Club goes through some course improvements.

“To have a round like this to cap off a win is pretty special,” she said.

Ko next week heads to South Korea to play in the Hana Financial Group Championship. It will be a chance for her to reach 30 career titles worldwide, including victories on the Korea LPGA, the Ladies European Tour and the ALPG Tour in Australia.