(St Andrews) Lydia Ko claimed a third major title — and first in eight years — as she came from behind a tough field to win the Women’s British Open by two shots.
Ko, who won Olympic gold earlier this month, rolled in a birdie putt on the 18the hole on the famous Old Course at St. Andrews. This allowed him to hand in a card of 69 (-3).
The 27-year-old New Zealander then waited out rounds with world No. 1 Nelly Korda, defending champion Lilia Vu and two-time tournament champion Jiyai Shin.
Each member of the world No. 1 quartet, past and present, led at some point in a thrilling final round despite the cold and wind.
Ko was waiting on the edge of the 18e green and was stretching while wearing earmuffs when Vu missed a 20-foot putt that would have forced a playoff. Vu eventually made bogey and finished in 73, dropping to 5-under alongside Korda, Shin and Ruoning Yin.
Ko continued her momentum from the past few weeks. Her victory at the Paris Games officially qualified her for the Golf Hall of Fame. She now also has a title won at the birthplace of golf.
Her last major title was won at the Chevron Championship in 2016. She had won the Evian Championship the previous year, when she was 18 years old.