Page 32 - Golf Champion - February 2022

[LPGA TOUR]

LYDIA KO WINS

2022 GAINBRIDGE LPGA AT BOCA RIO

리디아 고, 보카 리오, 2022 게인브릿지 LPGA 우승

ven though she didn’t become an LPGA Tour Member The victory slides Ko into a tie for 32nd on the LPGA Tour
Euntil 2014, Lydia Ko was winning events on Tour as Career Wins List to join Dottie Pepper, Ayako Okamoto
early as 2012. On Sunday in the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca and Beverly Hanson. And the $300,000 winner’s check
Rio, Ko added win No. 17 to her mantel on the LPGA Tour. moves her into ninth on the LPGA Tour All-Time Career
She becomes the first player to reach 17 wins before the Earnings List with $12,668,796, passing World Golf Hall
age of 25 since Nancy Lopez captured her 17th title in of Fame and LPGA Hall of Fame member Se Ri Pak.
1979. Ko pointed to her birdie down the stretch at the par-4 15th
“I tried to stay really patient out there and not get carried as an instrumental conversion to holding off a charging
away on what everybody else was doing and just focus Danielle Kang (68). The New Zealand native would add
on my game, trying to make the lowest score I could,” one more circle on the scorecard at No. 16 before getting
said Ko, who recorded four birdies for a 3-under 69 in the up and down out of the greenside bunker on No. 18 to
final round. “I think that helped me really dial it in and seal the deal at -14 overall.
just kind of stay in the present, which I think is really “To finish off with a few birdies [on the back nine] was
important, especially when other players are playing well nice, and I think holing that putt on 15 was kind of the
and I'm not making many birdies.” momentum shifter for me,” Ko said. “It wasn't the easiest

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