SINGAPORE: South Korea’s Ko Jin-young became the first player to retain the HSBC Women’s World Championship title after firing a three-under par 69 in the weather-delayed final round to beat world No 2 Nelly Korda in Singapore today.
Still battling a wrist injury that derailed her 2022 season, Ko burst into tears after her triumphant return at Sentosa as she finished with a 17-under par total of 271, taking home the US$270,000 first prize from the US$1.8 million purse.
Ko was unflappable on the front nine and although she faltered with a bogey on the 11th, she sank a 30-foot putt for birdie on the 13th and a two-foot par putt on the final hole to edge American Korda by two shots.
Korda drained a four-foot birdie putt for a 69 and second place on 15-under, finishing a stroke ahead of Japan’s Ayaka Furue (67) and compatriots Danielle Kang (68) and Allisen Corpuz (69), who tied for third on 14-under.