‘It’s been pretty surreal.’ Lydia Ko storms back to win Kroger Queen City Championship
Maineville, OHIO − Lydia Ko’s stellar summer continued Sunday at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. Ko, who entered Sunday’s final round at TPC River’s Bend facing a two-stroke deficit against clubhouse leader Jeeno Thitikul, fired a tournament-best 63 for her 22nd career victory on the LPGA Tour.
“I played really solid on the first day and just kept giving myself a lot of good opportunities,” Ko said. “Even though there are some tougher holes out here at TPC River’s Bend, I felt really comfortable.” Ko, who won an Olympic gold medal this summer and secured a berth in the LPGA Hall of Fame, made her move at the turn Sunday afternoon at TPC River’s Bend. Thitikul had just landed an eagle on the par-5 eighth hole to take a two-stroke lead but went on to bogey No. 9.
Ko knocked in for par to move one back of the lead, then took advantage of Thitikul missing back-to-back greens on the back-9. Ko notched a birdie on No. 10, then landed an eagle on the par-5 11th hole while Thitikul had to settle for back-to-back tap-in pars. Ko took a two-stroke lead and wouldn’t let it go en route to the title.
Ko, the World No. 3, also won the AIG Women’s Open at St. Andrews in August and triumphed at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January. Sunday marked the first time the 27-year-old has won in back-to-back starts since 2016 and it’s the fifth time in her career she’s won at least three events in a year.
“It’s been surreal,” Ko said. “Never in a million years would I have guessed that I now would’ve gotten into the Hall of Fame through winning the gold in Paris and then winning my first major since 2016.”
Thitikul pulled within a stroke of the lead by sinking a long birdie putt on the par-3 12th hole, but Ko was relentless in pulling away. She was aggressive enough at the turn to take the lead and consistent to keep it with five birdies and an eagle over a 10-hole stretch.
