Lydia Ko outshines rivals at Vancouver to become youngest LPGA winner
Amateur Lydia Ko looked more than thrilled in the final round of CN Canadian Women’s Open 2012, as rose to the occasion and fired a stunning 67 to grab her first Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) title in grand style.
The victory has earned Ko the title of youngest LPGA winner.
Ko, who hails from New Zealand, fought a nerve-jangling battle in a roster packed with most of the top-ranked LPGA contenders, but her better-than-expected performance helped her rise to the top of the leaderboard.
Overall, the Kiwi star carded a 275 — a three-stroke victory against her nearest rival Inbee Park of South Korea who posted a total score of 278.
Ko did not rank among the hot favourite contenders for the prestigious tournament, held at the Vancouver Golf Club, Canada, but she beat the odds thanks to her solid putting and swing skills.
The final round saw contenders battling for the top spot on the leaderboard, however, Ko was quick enough to capitalise on the comfortable winds and favourable weather on Sunday.
Park, who looked much stronger than young Ko, could not hold her ground in the final moments and ended up carding a 69 in the final round.
Sharing her thoughts at the end of the final round on Sunday, Ko said that she cannot express her feelings because the field at the CN Canadian Women’s Open 2012 was not easy at all, which required her to put her best foot forward and stay focused on all the holes.
Ko carded seven birdies and two bogeys in the last round, which reflects that the young prodigy has a solid control on her swing and putting.
Explaining what it felt like to play in a roster loaded with LPGA professionals and big names, Ko said that she does not get under pressure while playing against contenders better than her, as she has always enjoyed learning skills on the course.
“It feels amazing, and I broke the youngest record in January for the New South Wales Open and to break another record or being in the history, it's amazing, and it's always awesome to be able to play with the pros,” the LPGA titan said.
“It's great to win, and the last few holes, it got a bit nerve‑wracking, but Stacy Lewis after my birdie on 15 she said, you know, you can do it”.
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