(Naples) Lydia Ko has never pocketed so much money as on Sunday, after winning the LPGA Tour Championship.
Ko got the better of Leona Maguire in the final round to claim the highest $2 million in women’s golf and earn LPGA Player of the Year.
Ko had a birdie at 16e hole and turned over a 70 (minus-2) to sign a victory by two strokes. She wiped away a few tears after scoring a par on the last hole at Tiburon Golf Club.
She has pocketed just over $4.3 million this season, leaving her just $591 shy of Lorena Ochoa’s record, set in 2007. In addition to her Player of the Year award, Ko won the Vare Trophy , awarded to the golfer with the lowest stroke average during the season.
Maguire made things interesting on Saturday, when she joined Ko at the top of the leaderboard. Ko took the lead on the eighth flag and she distanced herself with her birdie on the 16th.e hole.
The New Zealander won the tournament with a cumulative score of minus-17.
Anna Nordqvist shot 67 and finished the event in third place, with a cumulative score of minus-14.
Georgia Hall (67) and Jeongeun Lee (70) tied for fourth at 12 under.
The only Canadian to take part in the tournament, Brooke M. Henderson had a 72 card in the final round and settled for a tie for seventh place.