Feb 17, 2018: With a four-shot lead heading into Sunday’s finale at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, Jin Young Ko as a chance at LPGA Tour history.
Ko, who won on the LPGA Tour in 2017 as a non-member, could become the first golfer in 67 years to capture a title in her debut as a member, and just the second ever.
Beverley Hanson achieved the feat at the 1951 Eastern Open.
The LPGA Tour rookie had an up-and-down Saturday, but managed to pull away from the pack late. She’ll go into Sunday four shots up on Australian Hannah Green, who she played with last year at an event in Japan.
“This course is narrow, and then there’s the green, so I’m thinking about only the greens and then try to two putt,” she says of her strategy for Sunday. “Birdies will be OK, but yeah, that’s it.”
The South Korean won the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship a year ago, in just her third-ever start on the LPGA Tour. She has a chance to win wire-to-wire this week, and she’s made a bit of a habit of winning lately, as she captured nine titles on the Korean LPGA Tour before taking up LPGA Tour membership this season.
Ko was one of nine South Koreans to win on the LPGA Tour in 2017 (including Ha Na Jang, who won this event a year ago), and says she’s been watching the Winter Olympics every night – taking place this month in her home country – especially the speed skating which, she said, is her favorite event.
Ko was 3-under through five holes before bogeying two of her final three holes on her front nine. She made another bogey on the par-4 13th but closed out her day on the par-4 17th for a 1-under-par 71.
“I focused on my game and I think my chipping and putting were keys,” she explained.
LPGA Tour Release
