Lydia Ko clinches 23rd career LPGA title in Singapore, eyes 'even better' 2025

USA Today

03-03-2025

Lydia Ko clinches 23rd career LPGA title in Singapore, eyes 'even better' 2025
Lydia Ko had a dream on Saturday night that she'd won the HSBC Women's World Championship, only to wake up and realize, "Dang, it's not real yet."
But Ko has been watching her dreams come to life for many years now, with the latest unfolding in Singapore. The 27-year-old Kiwi cruised to a four-stroke victory at Sentosa Golf Club over World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul and Japan's Ayaka Furue. It marked Ko's first victory in 11 starts at the HSBC and her 23rd career LPGA title.
"I think when you come to the same tournament, the same kind of venue, you get to know the people here," said Ko. 'I've made some great friendships and some junior girls that always come with signs with my name on it. They truly make it very memorable. Sometimes I've had good weeks out here, and sometimes I haven't played so well.
"But regardless of whether I'm teeing off No. 1 or No. 10 or what time, they are always there for me. I think that's been the special thing about this event."
Ko's closing 69 included three consecutive birdies on Nos. 6-8 to pull further ahead and then a 40-foot bomb on No. 15 to lead by four with three to play. The only player in the field to record three rounds in the 60s during a windy week in Singapore, the Kiwi finished at 13-under 275 for the tournament.
Ko said she'd actually hit that same putt on the par-3 15th three times during the practice round and remembers saying she hoped she wouldn't have that same putt in the tournament.
"That's why I think practice rounds are really important," said Ko, "and even though it is a golf course that I've played frequently, you just want to get a better idea of how greens are rolling and with the speed and slope as well.
"In this case, my bad practice round putts ended up being effective as a good putt in the tournament."
Charley Hull, playing in the final group alongside Thitikul and Ko, struggled to a closing 74 to drop into a share of fourth, six strokes back.
After winning the PIF Saudi Ladies International on the LET to kickstart her 2025 season, Thitikul finished solo third in her LPGA season debut back home in Thailand. Her second-round 72 in Singapore snapped a streak of rounds under par on the LPGA at 32, leaving her two rounds shy of Jin Young Ko's record of 34.
Thitikul's runner-up finish at Sentosa marks her 10th consecutive top-10 finish on the LPGA, dating to the 2024 FM Championship.
"I'm just the type of person, not go like high-high and not go like low-low," said Thitikul. "That's the most important that I really want to keep it because the more really consistent that you are, it's giving you a good chance every week."
Ko's winner's check of $360,000 moved her to second on the LPGA's career money list with $20,595,105. She edged ahead of Karrie Webb ($20,293,105) and remains behind only Annika Sorenstam ($22,583,693).
The winningest active player on tour, Ko became the youngest member to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame under its currently criteria after her victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She then quickly added her third career major title at the AIG Women's British Open at St. Andrews.
Ko has become quite the closer over the years, winning five of her last seven events when holding a 54-hole lead.
"You have such an incredible year, and you kind of think, is it going to be another good year, the following one?" asked Ko. "But I think I just kind of came to peace with it that if I have a good year, you know, that's great. But I'm not trying to prove anything to anybody else, and who is to say that, you know, I had a great year, and I can have an even better one."