When Lydia Ko was 14 years old, she became the youngest winner of a professional golf tournament at the 2012 Bing Lee/Samsung Women’s New South Wales Open. Maybe some might have dismissed that victory as an historic achievement on a small tour. Later in 2012 Ko, having turned 15, would become the youngest winner of an LPGA event when she captured the 2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open. At 15 years and 4 months old, she grabbed the attention of the golfing world. This was a player of truly historic relevance. However, I’ve been in enough golf forums to know there are always a few that think, ok you won an LPGA event…but maybe it was a fluke. Those naysayers believe you need a second win to validate the first, especially in Lydia’s case. Well, check that box off of the now 16-year old South Korean-born Kiwi’s resumé. Lydia sprinted away from the field on Sunday to win the 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open, successfully defending her title. Along the way, she becomes the youngest winner of 2 LPGA tour events and the youngest to successfully defend a title.
Lydia trailed Caroline Hedwall by 1 shot after the third round. Ko would make sure she left nothing out on the course, firing a final round 6-under 64 (par is 70). Next best on the day was 3-under by second place finisher Karine Icher. Third round contenders Hedwall and Suzann Pettersen stumbled with 1-over and 2-over rounds respectively. Lydia’s 15-under overall was 5 shots ahead of Icher. By the time she bent in her final birdie on 18, it was a coronation, not a competition.
The constant question has been, is and will continue to be when will Lydia and/or the people handling her decide to turn pro. For the second straight year, her amateur status means the $300,000 winner’s purse will go to the second place finisher. Last year it was Inbee Park. This year it was Icher. Ko was quite clear in her press conference that she doesn’t care about the lost $300,000. Here’s my take. There’s nothing left for her to prove as an amateur. Yes, turning pro would mean golf becomes truly a job, and every shot would count. There is an extra pressure in that. However, I would suggest she turn pro. The con argument is that she has plenty of time to turn pro later. She doesn’t need the burden of being a professional. She should stay focused on going to college, as she has stated she would like to do. My position is that you never know about the future. Earlier this year Ariya Jutanugarn looked like she was on the verge of an LPGA victory until she had a freak accident while engaging in horseplay with her sister Moriya. It led to a shoulder injury. Ariya is rehabbing now but who knows how she will be when she returns. Maybe she’ll be just fine. That’s not really my point. Horseplay aside, all athletes can get injured. Over her career of playing professional events as an amateur, Lydia has left over a million dollars on the table. Heaven forbid she turns pro and gets injured…or simply burns out or has other interests. That’s a million dollars she won’t be able to get back. Maybe she’ll turn pro later, everything will be fine and she’ll have a long and prosperous career. But nobody can see the future. I say turn pro now. She can still stay in school and pick select events in which to compete. Turning pro doesn’t mean joining a tour, it just means making herself eligible for prizemoney.
BIRDIES
Stacy Prammanasudh had struggled this year with no top 10s. She finished tied for 5th for her first top 10 of 2013. She also qualifies for the CME Titleholders along with Lydia Ko and Caroline Masson.
Brittany Lincicome earned her best finished of the year with a tie for 3rd. 4 solid rounds under par.
Hall of Famer Juli Inkster bounced back from 3 straight missed cuts to finish with a nice tie for 24th.
BOGEYS
Cristie Kerr struggled her last two rounds. Clearly, she looked worn out from Solheim. A lot of players from Solheim seemed to fade down the stretch.
6-time LPGA winner Hee Won Han still looking for her first top 10 of the year. Finished tied for 65th.
ALL PICS CLICK TO ENLARGE
LYDIA KO
SUZANN PETTERSEN
CAROLINE HEDWALL
JODI EWART SHADOFF
BRITTANY LINCICOME
PAULA CREAMER
GERINA PILLER
KARINE ICHER
IN KYUNG KIM
JESSICA KORDA
CHARLEY HULL
DANIELLE KANG
CATRIONA MATTHEW
AI MIYAZATO
STACY PRAMMANASUDH
YANI TSENG
KATHLEEN EKEY
SANDRA GAL
Pos | Name | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Today | Thru | Total | Strokes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lydia Ko | 65 | 69 | 67 | 64 | -6 | F | -15 | 265 |
2 | Karine Icher | 67 | 66 | 70 | 67 | -3 | F | -10 | 270 |
T3 | Brittany Lincicome | 68 | 68 | 66 | 69 | -1 | F | -9 | 271 |
T3 | Caroline Hedwall | 68 | 68 | 64 | 71 | +1 | F | -9 | 271 |
T5 | Stacy Prammanasudh | 68 | 67 | 69 | 68 | -2 | F | -8 | 272 |
T5 | I.K. Kim | 71 | 66 | 65 | 70 | E | F | -8 | 272 |
T7 | Caroline Masson | 70 | 67 | 67 | 69 | -1 | F | -7 | 273 |
T7 | Suzann Pettersen | 69 | 67 | 65 | 72 | +2 | F | -7 | 273 |
9 | Gerina Piller | 70 | 66 | 67 | 71 | +1 | F | -6 | 274 |
T10 | Jessica Korda | 70 | 66 | 68 | 71 | +1 | F | -5 | 275 |
T10 | Paula Creamer | 66 | 68 | 69 | 72 | +2 | F | -5 | 275 |
T10 | Jodi Ewart Shadoff | 71 | 66 | 67 | 71 | +1 | F | -5 | 275 |
T13 | Mika Miyazato | 70 | 67 | 70 | 69 | -1 | F | -4 | 276 |
T13 | Inbee Park | 67 | 65 | 74 | 70 | E | F | -4 | 276 |
T13 | Angela Stanford | 65 | 68 | 73 | 70 | E | F | -4 | 276 |
T13 | Brittany Lang | 70 | 67 | 68 | 71 | +1 | F | -4 | 276 |
T17 | Na Yeon Choi | 67 | 71 | 70 | 69 | -1 | F | -3 | 277 |
T17 | Catriona Matthew | 70 | 66 | 71 | 70 | E | F | -3 | 277 |
T17 | Charley Hull | 69 | 66 | 71 | 71 | +1 | F | -3 | 277 |
T20 | Anna Nordqvist | 70 | 70 | 70 | 68 | -2 | F | -2 | 278 |
T20 | Ai Miyazato | 70 | 68 | 71 | 69 | -1 | F | -2 | 278 |
T20 | Cristie Kerr | 66 | 66 | 75 | 71 | +1 | F | -2 | 278 |
T20 | Lexi Thompson | 71 | 65 | 69 | 73 | +3 | F | -2 | 278 |
T24 | Pernilla Lindberg | 70 | 69 | 72 | 68 | -2 | F | -1 | 279 |
T24 | Juli Inkster | 69 | 72 | 69 | 69 | -1 | F | -1 | 279 |
T24 | Danielle Kang | 71 | 67 | 69 | 72 | +2 | F | -1 | 279 |
T24 | Jiyai Shin | 74 | 66 | 67 | 72 | +2 | F | -1 | 279 |
T24 | Yani Tseng | 72 | 68 | 66 | 73 | +3 | F | -1 | 279 |
T29 | Mina Harigae | 73 | 69 | 69 | 69 | -1 | F | E | 280 |
T29 | Haeji Kang | 72 | 68 | 70 | 70 | E | F | E | 280 |
T29 | Christel Boeljon | 65 | 72 | 71 | 72 | +2 | F | E | 280 |
T29 | Sandra Gal | 72 | 68 | 69 | 71 | +1 | F | E | 280 |
T29 | Chella Choi | 69 | 70 | 69 | 72 | +2 | F | E | 280 |
T34 | Eun-Hee Ji | 70 | 72 | 69 | 70 | E | F | +1 | 281 |
T34 | Carlota Ciganda | 69 | 72 | 69 | 71 | +1 | F | +1 | 281 |
T34 | So Yeon Ryu | 73 | 68 | 68 | 72 | +2 | F | +1 | 281 |
T34 | Kathleen Ekey | 71 | 64 | 71 | 75 | +5 | F | +1 | 281 |
T38 | Shanshan Feng | 68 | 72 | 71 | 71 | +1 | F | +2 | 282 |
T38 | Alison Walshe | 72 | 68 | 70 | 72 | +2 | F | +2 | 282 |
T38 | M.J. Hur | 70 | 70 | 67 | 75 | +5 | F | +2 | 282 |
T41 | Ryann O’Toole | 73 | 69 | 69 | 72 | +2 | F | +3 | 283 |
T41 | Hee Young Park | 68 | 67 | 76 | 72 | +2 | F | +3 | 283 |
T41 | Thidapa Suwannapura | 70 | 68 | 74 | 71 | +1 | F | +3 | 283 |
T41 | Katherine Hull-Kirk | 71 | 71 | 72 | 69 | -1 | F | +3 | 283 |
T45 | Amy Yang | 69 | 71 | 71 | 73 | +3 | F | +4 | 284 |
T45 | Laura Davies | 68 | 66 | 77 | 73 | +3 | F | +4 | 284 |
T45 | Sophie Gustafson | 74 | 66 | 72 | 72 | +2 | F | +4 | 284 |
T48 | Belen Mozo | 70 | 69 | 71 | 75 | +5 | F | +5 | 285 |
T48 | Azahara Munoz | 71 | 69 | 72 | 73 | +3 | F | +5 | 285 |
T48 | Jee Young Lee | 68 | 72 | 76 | 69 | -1 | F | +5 | 285 |
T51 | Pornanong Phatlum | 69 | 69 | 72 | 76 | +6 | F | +6 | 286 |
T51 | Felicity Johnson | 74 | 66 | 72 | 74 | +4 | F | +6 | 286 |
T51 | Candie Kung | 71 | 69 | 72 | 74 | +4 | F | +6 | 286 |
T51 | Jacqui Concolino | 69 | 70 | 73 | 74 | +4 | F | +6 | 286 |
T51 | Song-Hee Kim | 73 | 69 | 72 | 72 | +2 | F | +6 | 286 |
T56 | Mi Hyang Lee | 71 | 70 | 70 | 76 | +6 | F | +7 | 287 |
T56 | Momoko Ueda | 69 | 72 | 72 | 74 | +4 | F | +7 | 287 |
T56 | Nicole Castrale | 68 | 72 | 73 | 74 | +4 | F | +7 | 287 |
T56 | Katie Futcher | 70 | 70 | 75 | 72 | +2 | F | +7 | 287 |
T56 | Mariajo Uribe | 69 | 73 | 74 | 71 | +1 | F | +7 | 287 |
T56 | Sydnee Michaels | 73 | 69 | 76 | 69 | -1 | F | +7 | 287 |
T62 | Samantha Richdale | 70 | 70 | 75 | 73 | +3 | F | +8 | 288 |
T62 | Sun Young Yoo | 70 | 72 | 73 | 73 | +3 | F | +8 | 288 |
T62 | Jennifer Rosales | 73 | 68 | 75 | 72 | +2 | F | +8 | 288 |
T65 | Hee-Won Han | 72 | 70 | 74 | 73 | +3 | F | +9 | 289 |
T65 | Moriya Jutanugarn | 72 | 70 | 75 | 72 | +2 | F | +9 | 289 |
67 | Se Ri Pak | 72 | 70 | 72 | 76 | +6 | F | +10 | 290 |
T68 | Austin Ernst | 70 | 72 | 72 | 77 | +7 | F | +11 | 291 |
T68 | Becky Morgan | 70 | 72 | 73 | 76 | +6 | F | +11 | 291 |
T68 | Karen Stupples | 70 | 72 | 76 | 73 | +3 | F | +11 | 291 |
71 | Laura Diaz | 70 | 71 | 77 | 75 | +5 | F | +13 | 293 |
72 | Jessica Shepley | 71 | 70 | 78 | 76 | +6 | F | +15 | 295 |
T73 | Mindy Kim | 73 | 69 | 77 | 77 | +7 | F | +16 | 296 |
T73 | Tiffany Joh | 71 | 71 | 79 | 75 | +5 | F | +16 | 296 |
T75 | Karlin Beck | 68 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Dori Carter | 69 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Numa Gulyanamitta | 73 | 70 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Marcy Hart | 71 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Maria Hjorth | 72 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Vicky Hurst | 71 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Lorie Kane | 71 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Jennifer Kirby | 67 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Mo Martin | 69 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Brooke Pancake | 69 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Jane Park | 73 | 70 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Reilley Rankin | 72 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Beatriz Recari | 70 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T75 | Jenny Shin | 68 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 143 |
T89 | Danah Bordner | 72 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Katie Burnett | 73 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Lisa Ferrero | 73 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Julieta Granada | 75 | 69 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Brooke Henderson | 72 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Maude-Aimee Leblanc | 71 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Ilhee Lee | 73 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Paige Mackenzie | 72 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Kristy McPherson | 74 | 70 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Ji Young Oh | 72 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Morgan Pressel | 70 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Jane Rah | 71 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Dewi Claire Schreefel | 71 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T89 | Jessica Wallace | 75 | 69 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 144 |
T103 | Sandra Changkija | 76 | 69 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
T103 | Lauren Doughtie | 72 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
T103 | Daniela Iacobelli | 74 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
T103 | Seon Hwa Lee | 71 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
T103 | Rebecca Lee-Bentham | 76 | 69 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
T103 | Giulia Sergas | 74 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
T103 | Karrie Webb | 73 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 145 |
T110 | Chie Arimura | 74 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
T110 | Paz Echeverria | 70 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
T110 | Amy Hung | 70 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
T110 | Sue Kim | 75 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
T110 | Wendy Ward | 70 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 146 |
T115 | Izzy Beisiegel | 70 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
T115 | Pat Hurst | 73 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
T115 | Cindy LaCrosse | 74 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
T115 | Meena Lee | 73 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
T115 | Brittany Marchand | 74 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
T115 | Sarah Jane Smith | 72 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 147 |
T121 | Jennifer Ha | 77 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
T121 | Jeong Jang | 72 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
T121 | Jennie Lee | 74 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
T121 | Paola Moreno | 75 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
T121 | Alena Sharp | 76 | 72 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
T121 | Stephanie Sherlock | 71 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
T121 | Lindsey Wright | 72 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 148 |
T128 | Heather Bowie Young | 75 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
T128 | Silvia Cavalleri | 76 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
T128 | Moira Dunn | 76 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
T128 | Lisa McCloskey | 75 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
T128 | Michelle Wie | 73 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 149 |
T133 | Irene Cho | 80 | 70 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
T133 | Natalie Gulbis | 73 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
T133 | Nicole Jeray | 76 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
T133 | Amelia Lewis | 75 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
T133 | Kris Tamulis | 76 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
T133 | Anne-Catherine Tanguay | 72 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 150 |
T139 | Veronica Felibert | 74 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
T139 | Natalie Gleadall | 78 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
T139 | Christina Kim | 76 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 151 |
T142 | Amanda Blumenherst | 79 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
T142 | Julia Boland | 74 | 78 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
T142 | Hanna Kang | 78 | 74 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 152 |
T145 | Esther Choe | 74 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
T145 | Augusta James | 82 | 71 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
T145 | Sara Maude Juneau | 76 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
T145 | Sarah Kemp | 76 | 77 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 153 |
149 | Breanna Elliott | 75 | 79 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 154 |
T150 | Emily Childs | 82 | 73 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 155 |
T150 | Taylore Karle | 80 | 75 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 155 |
T150 | Jin Young Pak | 79 | 76 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 155 |
153 | Nicole Vandermade | 85 | 80 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 165 |
154 | Nicole Forshner | 89 | 83 | MC | MC | – | – | – | 172 |
155 | Stacy Lewis | 74 | WD | WD | WD | – | – | – | 74 |
156 | Jennifer Song | 76 | WD | WD | WD | – | – | – | 76 |