The winner of the women’s tournament has been determined, and it’s Lydia Ko
Lydia Ko has claimed her third world title with her first victory in eight years, winning a highly competitive Women’s British Open. The triumph follows her recent Olympic gold medal, making it a remarkable summer for the 27-year-old New Zealand golfer. After making a left-to-right putt for birdie on the famous 18th hole on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Ko finished the final round with a three-under 69. She then anxiously awaited the result, hoping to maintain her lead over number one Nelly Korda, defending champion Lilia Vu and two-time champion Jiayi Xin. All four golfers, all ranked No. 1 at some point in their careers, were among the leaders at various times in a thrilling final round played in difficult conditions – cold, windy and rainy – before finishing in the sun.
Ko had already finished his round and was stretching near the 18th green with headphones on when Wu attempted a birdie putt from 20 feet away that could have led to a playoff. Unfortunately for Wu, her putt was off-target and she ended up bogeying the hole, finishing with a 73 and a combined 5-under-par, along with Korda, Shin, and Ruoning Yin.
It’s been an incredible summer for Ko. Not only did she secure a place in the Hall of Fame by winning a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, but she also added a championship title in the ancestral home of golf to her list of accomplishments. Ko’s previous major win was the Chevron Championship in 2016. The year before, as an 18-year-old, he won the Evian Championship.