By: Max Bechtoldt
One of women’s golf’s greatest icons has won her third-career major at the most iconic golf course in the world, as Lydia Ko won the AIG Women’s Open by two strokes at The Old Course.
It wasn’t easy for Ko, as evidenced by her closest competition. Every player in the top six, Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu, Jiyai Shin, Ruoning Yin and Ariya Jutanugarn, has at least one major championship and has been No. 1 in the world at one point. But Lydia was so much more secure than anyone else.
Ko made just one bogey, on 15, the entire day. While she didn’t look spectacular on paper, she felt so much more in control of her game than anyone. She rarely put herself in trouble, and when she did, she pulled off her typical Lydia magic around the greens.
No. 1 Nelly Korda looked to be taking control around the turn, as she opened up a three-stroke lead through 11. Just like Saturday though, the back nine came back to get her. Korda had a sloppy double bogey on the par 5 14, that included a mishit chip and a missed short putt. On 17 she put her second shot in the deadly greenside bunker, which sunk her chances.
Lilia Vu was the last remaining hurdle for Ko, but putting struggles on both 17 and 18 sunk her chances, like Korda she finished in a tie for second.
For Ko, this continues a magical month of August, which saw her inducted into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame, win Olympic Gold and win her third major. It is Ko’s first major title since 2016, when she won her second major title at 19-years-old.
Ko was already one of the all-time greats, now with 21 wins on tour during its toughest era. The legend continued in storybook fashion at the home of golf.
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