World no. 1 Jin Young Ko has record-setting win at HSBC in Singapore

March 7, 2022

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WORLD No. 1 Jin Young Ko won her sixth tournament in her past 10 Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour starts at the 2022 Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. (HSBC) Women’s World Championship in Singapore on Sunday, setting two records in the process.

Ko, a 26-year-old South Korean, shot a 6-under-par 66 to finish with a 17-under 271 for the tournament. It was her 15th consecutive round in the 60s and her 30th straight under par — both LPGA records.

Minjee Lee of Australia fired the tournament’s low round of 63 to move into a tie for second with South Korean In Gee Chun (69) at 15-under par 273.

“I am just proud of myself to record 60s, 15 rounds like straight. So I’m so happy,” Ko said. “I feel amazing right now.”

The day was not without drama for Ko. She couldn’t make any headway in the first seven holes, recording her first birdies at Nos. 8 and 9. Her compatriot, Jeongeun Lee6, who started the day one stroke behind 54-hole leader, birdied four of the first eight holes, and teenager Atthaya Thitkul of Thailand tallied nine birdies on the front nine.

Turning onto the back nine, Lee6 was 15-under and had a one stroke lead over Thitkul and was two strokes up on Ko and Chun at the New Tanjong Course at Sentosa Golf Club.

But Ko attacked the back nine as she had all week she was 5-under on the front nine compared to -12-under on the back nine. After a bogey at No. 12, she rattled off four straight birdies and was tied with Lee6 at 16-under on No. 18.

Ko reached the green in two, but Lee6 mishit a chip shot that left her ball in the rough. Another mishit led to a double bogey by Lee6, and Ko finished the round off with her seventh bogey of the day. Thitikul (67) and Lee6 (69) finished in a tie for fourth, three shots off the pace.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson (67), Australia’s Hannah Green (66) and South Korean Amy Yang (68) tied for sixth at 13 under, with A Lim Kim (66) of South Korea and American Danielle Kang (70) at 11 under. — Reuters