Lydia Ko claims 11th LPGA Tour Title with Kia Classic
New Zealand golfing superstar Lydia Ko won the Kia Classic on Sunday at Aviara, and has reaffirmed her position as the top player in the world heading into the first major championship of the season.
Ko birdied the final three holes for her third straight 5-under 67 and a four-stroke victory over second-ranked Inbee Park.
“I just kind of peeked at the leaderboard and saw Inbee was making a lot of birdies – Inbee doing her Inbee things,” Ko said. “I knew that I needed to focus up until the last moment and fortunately I made some birdies down the stretch.”
The 18 year old finished second in Phoenix in the Founders Cup, before her win this Sunday. Ko also won the Ladies European Tour’s New Zealand Women’s Open in February, she is now set to compete at the ANA Inspiration tournament at Rancho Mirage where she tied for 51st last year.
“All the work we’ve put in as a team kind of paid off,” said Ko. “A really happy moment, but I have to focus for next week. I’m really excited to go back to ANA.”
“I didn’t strike the ball very well last year there”, Ko said. “Hopefully I’ll be able to hit a few more fairways and give myself a good chance. Obviously, it helps to have played well here going into the first major of the year.”
Ko is currently ranked No.3 in the world, and was previously ranked No.1, a spot she held for an unprecedented 130 weeks. Ko was also named as the Young New Zealand of the Year for 2016 in the annual New Zealander of the Year awards.
Article source: ESPN.com, 27 March 2016
Image source: Twitter.com/LydiaKo
