LPGA Tour Cognizant Founders Cup, 2 wins
in the season, 18th career prize break of 11 million dollars, 5-under-par daily best 4 strokes overcome in
windy difficult conditions …
“Inspired by Lim Seong-jae, who won a comeback by 5 strokes”

Korean women’s golf star Jin-young Ko (28) overcame Lee Min-ji (27, Australia) at the end of an extended match at the LPGA Tour’s Cognizant Founders Cup (total prize money of 3 million dollars) and reached the top. went up

In the final 4th round of the tournament held at Upper Monclair Country Club (par 72) in Clifton, New Jersey, USA on the 15th (Korean time), Ko Jin-young caught only 5 birdies without bogey, and she hit 5 under par 67.

With her final total of 13-under-par 275, Ko tied with Lee Min-ji to advance to overtime and par on her first hole to win the championship.

This gave Ko Jin-young her second win of the season, about two months after the HSBC Women’s World Championship in March. It was her 15th career win on the LPGA Tour. Ko Jin-young, who received her winning prize of 450,000 dollars (approximately 600 million won), became her second most winner this season after Lilia Bu (USA). She also became the 18th player in LPGA Tour history to earn more than $11 million in career earnings.

Above all, Ko Jin-young accepted the shocking report card of being eliminated from the group stage even after forming the strongest team with Kim Hyo-joo (28), Jeon In-ji (29), and Choi Hye-jin (24) at the Hanwha Life Plus International Crown, which was an LPGA tour team event last week. I was able to wash away the regret at the time.

In addition, he won the third championship in his career only in this competition following 2019 and 2021. Ko Jin-young is the first to win three times in this event, which was started in 2011 to honor the 13 founders of the LPGA Tour.

Ko Jin-young, who tied for the lead until the 2nd round of this tournament, could not reduce the number of strokes in the 3rd round as if it was the aftermath of the forced march for 4 weeks in a row, and the gap with leader Lee Min-ji (Australia) widened to 4 strokes. He seemed to be getting away from the championship, and he played his best game in the windy final round, scoring 5 under par alone.

Ko Jin-young, who started with consecutive birdies on holes 3 and 4 (par 4), added a birdie by putting his second shot on hole 7 (par 4) at a distance of 1m from the pin, and pressed Lee Min-ji by one stroke. Lee Min-ji dropped her tee shot into the water in the 6th hole (par 3) and committed a double bogey, and the car was shaking.

Afterwards, Lee Min-ji found stability by catching only 4 birdies until the 15th hole. Ko Jin-young did not let go of the reins of the pursuit. After putting the ball on the green twice in the 12th hole (par 5) and catching a birdie with two putts, he made a 6m birdie in the 18th hole (par 4) to tie the lead with Lee Min-ji and finished the final round first.

Lee Min-ji, while leading by one stroke, committed a bogey on the 16th hole (par 4), and was unable to escape in the last hole 18, so he had to go into overtime with Ko Jin-young.

World No. 3 Jin-Young Ko and No. 6 Lee Min-Ji faced each other in overtime. In the first overtime on the 18th hole (par 4), Ko Jin-young left a farther birdie putt than Lee Min-ji, but kept the par close to the hole with a sensuous stroke. Lee Min-ji’s birdie putt moved away along the downhill line of the hole, and Jin-young Ko’s victory was confirmed as a 2m par putt flowed to the right side of the hole.

After winning the championship, Ko Jin-young raised her arms and jumped, enjoying the joy.

In an interview with a broadcasting company that followed, Ko Jin-young said, “This week in Korea, Seong-jae Lim, a PGA Tour player, won. He was inspired to see him win when he was five strokes behind the lead,” he said. Then he said, “I also thought that if I played really well, I would have a chance to win. I just focused on my game and got great results.” It means that he did not give up until the end even in a situation where the difference in the number of strokes was large.

He added, “This golf course is not easy. The fairways were narrow, the greens were hard, and the wind blew a lot,” he said. “The shot went really well. It is an honor to receive the third trophy of the Founders Cup.”메이저사이트

Ko Jin-young has a good relationship with the LPGA Tour Player of the Year in both the years she won this tournament. This year, as in 2019 and 2021, attention is focusing on whether he will make a big impact and rise to the top of the LPGA Tour.

Meanwhile, Lee Min-ji, who started the final round with a single lead by 3 strokes, only reduced 1 stroke on the last day and was dragged into overtime, ultimately failing to defend his title.

Ashley Buhai (South Africa), who won the AIG Women’s Open (British Women’s Open) last year, rose to third place alone (10 under par, 278 strokes), and rookie Yoo Hae-ran (22), who was aiming for a come-from-behind championship, lost one stroke and placed fourth (8 under par). 280) to finish the tournament.