For the third time in her Hall of Fame golf career, Lydia Ko of Auckland, New Zealand is a major champion in women’s golf. Ko won the British Women’s Open after a four round score of -7 at the famous Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland.
Ko, who has previously won the 2015 Evian Championship in France and the 2016 ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, California, made headlines earlier this summer when she won the gold medal in women’s golf for New Zealand at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Ko has now won three Olympic medals as she previously won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021.
Ko posted a fourth round score of three-under-par 69. She had four birdies and one bogey. Ko birdied the fourth, 10th, 14th, and 18th holes, and bogeyed the 15h hole.
In round one on Thursday, Ko shot a score of one-under-par 71 with three birdies and two bogeys. She birdied the fifth, 12th and 16h holes, and bogeyed the eighth and 11th holes. Interestingly, the eighth and 11th holes were both a par three.
In round two on Friday, Ko shot a score of two-under par 70. She had four birdies and two bogeys. Ko birdied the fourth, fifth, 14th, and 15th holes, and bogeyed the fourth and 11th holes. In round three on Saturday, Ko shot a score of one-under-par with two birdies and one bogey. Ko birdied the seventh and 16th holes, and bogeyed the 11th hole.
There was a four-way tie for second place. Jiyai Shin of South Korea (the 2008 and 2012 Women’s British Open champion), Nelly Korda of the United States (the 2021 Women’s PGA Championship winner and 2024 Chevron Championship winner), Lilia Vu of the United States (the 2023 Chevron Championship winner and the 2023 British Women’s Open winner), and Ruoning Yu of China (the 2023 Women’s PGA Championship winner) were tied for second place at -5, and two strokes back. The top five golfers in the tournament have been world number one at one point in their careers.
This was the first time since 2015 at the British Women’s Open that there was a different leader after every round. At the 2024 British Women’s Open, Hull was the round one leader, Korda was the round two leader, and Shin was the round three leader. At the 2015 British Women’s Open, Hyo-joo Kim of South Korea was the round one leader, Suzann Pettersen of Norway was the round two leader, Jin-young Ko of South Korea and Teresa Lu of Taiwan were the round three leaders, and Inbee Park of South Korea was the champion.
