Surging Lydia Ko adds LPGA Queen City crown to Olympic and British Open titles

Lydia Ko, aged 27, showcased her remarkable form on Sunday by achieving an impressive nine-under par 63, securing victory at the US LPGA Queen City Championship by a margin of five strokes, following her recent successes at the Olympics and the British Open.

The New Zealand golfer commenced the day two strokes behind Thailand's Atthaya "Jeeno" Thitikul but quickly took command of the tournament with an eagle on the 11th hole, ultimately finishing with a total score of 23-under par 265.

At TPC River's Bend, located near Cincinnati, Ohio, Ko recorded seven birdies without any bogeys. Jeeno began the round strongly, notching a birdie and an eagle on the front nine, but was unable to maintain her momentum as the round progressed.

Reflecting on her recent achievements, Ko described the past two months as "surreal," during which she completed her Olympic medal collection and secured her induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame with her Olympic victory in Paris.

She subsequently claimed her first major title in eight years at the Women's British Open held at St. Andrews.

"After having three weeks off, I was not entirely sure what to expect," Ko remarked. "To conclude with a round like this and secure a win is truly special."

Ko made a 15-foot birdie putt on the 10th hole to tie with Jeeno and followed it with another 15-footer for eagle on the 11th, establishing a two-shot lead as Jeeno failed to take advantage of the par-five.

Although Jeeno managed to reduce the deficit with a long birdie on the par-three 12th, a two-shot swing occurred on the 13th, where Ko's excellent second shot set her up for an eight-foot birdie, while Jeeno struggled with a bogey after missing the green.

Ko successfully converted a birdie on the 15th hole and capped off her victory with another birdie on the par-five 18th.

Jeeno finished with a two-under par 70, but her quest for a fourth LPGA title, her first in an individual stroke play event since 2022, was hindered by bogeys on the 15th and 17th holes.

Her total score of 18-under par 270 secured her a solo second place, ahead of South Korea's Ryu Hae-ran, who recorded a five-under 67 for a total of 271.

Former teenage sensation Ko secured her third LPGA title of 2024 with this latest victory. She also claimed the Tournament of Champions at the beginning of the year.

With a total of 22 titles, she holds seven more than any other active LPGA competitor, and she expressed that her remarkable season has prompted her to reevaluate her career aspirations.

"Achieving a career Grand Slam has always been a goal of mine, although I initially thought it was quite ambitious," Ko remarked, noting that she requires the US Open and Women's PGA Championship to complete her set of major titles.

"However, considering my journey thus far, it feels like I have already been part of a fairytale, so why not pursue it?"