(2nd LD) S. Korean Ko Jin-young captures 15th LPGA title in playoff

All News 09:45 May 15, 2023

(ATTN: ADDS comments in paras 10-11)
By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, May 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean star Ko Jin-young has won her 15th career LPGA title in a playoff in New Jersey, rallying from a four-stroke deficit to inch closer to the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Ko defeated Minjee Lee of Australia in a playoff to win the Cognizant Founders Cup at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey, on Sunday (local time). Ko started the final round four strokes behind Lee, the overnight leader, but birdied the 18th hole to catch Lee at 13-under 275 and set up the playoff. Ko did not have a bogey while posting a five-under 67 in the final round.

In this Getty Images photo, Ko Jin-young of South Korea celebrates with the champion's trophy after winning the Cognizant Founders Cup on the LPGA Tour at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey, on May 14, 2023. (Yonhap)

Then in the sudden-death playoff, Ko made par after Lee three-putted for a bogey on the 18th green. Ko took home US$450,000.

This was Ko's second victory of the 2023 season, following her successful title defense at the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore in March.

Ko previously won the Founders Cup in 2019 and 2021. She is the first three-time champion of this tournament, which began in 2011.

In this Associated Press photo, Ko Jin-young of South Korea tees off on the fifth hole during the final round of the Cognizant Founders Cup on the LPGA Tour at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey, on May 14, 2023. (Yonhap)

Ko also joined Lilia Vu of the United States as the only players with multiple titles this season.

The victory also pushed Ko a step closer to the LPGA Hall of Fame.

She has now accumulated 20 Hall of Fame points, seven away from induction. A regular tournament win and an Olympic gold medal are each worth one point, and a major title is good for two points. Players must also win at least one of the following: a major championship, the Player of the Year award and the Vare Trophy, given annually to the golfer with the lowest scoring average.

Ko has won 13 regular events and two major championships, along with two Player of the Year awards and one Vare Trophy.

In this Getty Images photo, Ko Jin-young of South Korea (C) is doused with water and champagne after winning the Cognizant Founders Cup on the LPGA Tour at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey, on May 14, 2023. (Yonhap)

Ko said afterward she was inspired by an earlier comeback victory by fellow Korean golfer, Im Sung-jae. Im, the two-time PGA Tour winner, captured a Korean Tour tournament Sunday after erasing a five-shot deficit in the final round.

"This week in Korea, Sung-jae won a Korean tournament, but he was five shots behind the lead. That inspired me," Ko said in a televised interview. "If I played really well, I could have a chance for a win. So I really focused on myself."

Ko jumped into contention with back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth holes to move to 10-under. She had another birdie at the seventh to reach 11-under.

Ko moved into the lead moments later, when Lee, playing two groups behind in the final pairing, had a disastrous double bogey at the par-three sixth to drop to 10-under.

Lee bounced right back with a long birdie putt at the seventh hole and pulled into a tie for first with Ko, who only managed par at the par-five ninth.

Ko did better at the next par-five hole, the 12th, where a birdie gave her the sole possession of the lead once again at 12-under.

Lee then answered the bell with a birdie at the 11th, before reclaiming her lead with a birdie on the very next hole, despite missing the fairway off the tee and then the green with her second shot.

Lee appeared to be in control after a birdie at the par-three 15th gave her a two-stroke lead over Ko with three holes to play.

In this Getty Images photo, Ko Jin-young of South Korea celebrates after making a par putt to beat Minjee Lee of Australia in a playoff to win the Cognizant Founders Cup on the LPGA Tour at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey, on May 14, 2023. (Yonhap)

Ko barely stayed alive with a string of pars down the stretch. She got up and down from a greenside bunker at the 16th and nearly holed out from the sand at the par-three 17th before taking another par.

Lee gave Ko a slight opening by committing a bogey at the 16th, and Ko burst through that with a clutch birdie putt on the 18th green. Ko birdied the 18th in all four rounds.

The two players went to the sudden-death affair after Lee failed to match Ko's birdie at the 18th.

They returned to that last hole, and Ko didn't need a birdie this time.

In this Getty Images photo, Ko Jin-young of South Korea tees off on the seventh hole during the final round of the Cognizant Founders Cup on the LPGA Tour at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey, on May 14, 2023. (Yonhap)

Both found the fairway off the tee, and Ko sent her second shot to the back of the green, while Lee landed her shot below the hole, leaving herself with a considerably shorter birdie attempt than Ko's.

Lee, however, sent her putt well past the cup and missed her nervy par putt coming back. Ko stepped up and made her par to cap off the impressive rally.

Ko climbed to second place in the race for the Player of the Year award with 75 points, 19 behind Vu. Each tournament victory is worth 30 points, and points are doubled at major championships.