New Zealand’s Lydia Ko achieved a remarkable feat on Sunday by claiming the Women’s Open Championship at the historic Old Course in St. Andrews. The victory marks her first major title in eight years, coming just two weeks after her gold medal triumph at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Ko, 27, finished in style with a superb birdie on the 18th hole, carding a three-under-par 69 in challenging winds. Her overall score of seven-under-par secured her third major championship victory.
“It is surreal,” Ko shared with Sky Sports. “Winning the gold medal in Paris a few weeks ago was almost too good to be true. Heading into the weekend, I thought, ‘How is it possible for me to win the Open?’ This is almost too good to be true. Out of all the major championships, this was the one I had the least amount of confidence in.”
The triumph at St. Andrews adds to Ko’s illustrious career, with her last major win dating back to the 2016 Chevron Championship. Reflecting on her journey, she said, “It is the most Cinderella-like story these past two weeks. To be holding this trophy now, it is some achievement.”
At just 17, Ko became the youngest player ever to be ranked world number one in professional golf. Her latest victory reaffirms her status among the sport’s elite. “I thought to myself, because of the last few weeks, it is not going to happen. So don’t overreact and play the shot in front of you. My two goals were to par the 11th and birdie the 18th. I achieved both. This is such a special place,” she added.
Ko expressed gratitude for her accomplishments, saying, “All my achievements are special, even the silver and bronze at the Olympics. I always said I wanted to win another major championship. Here I am now as a three-time major champion.”
Reference(s):
Golf: Ko wins Women's Open, Bradley triumphs at BMW Championship
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