Focused Ko has fun in solid victory

NEW YORK • South Korean golfer Ko Jin-young wrote her name in the LPGA Tour record book not once but twice on Sunday as she authored a wire-to-wire victory at the Founders Cup in West Caldwell, New Jersey.

Her five-under 66 lifted her to 18-under 266 for a four-shot victory over Germany's Caroline Masson at Mountain Ridge Country Club. It was the world No. 2's 14th straight round in the 60s, tying Annika Sorenstam's LPGA record.

She also went 114 straight holes without making a bogey or worse until she bogeyed No. 17 on Sunday. It is the longest such streak on either the LPGA or PGA tours, breaking Tiger Woods' mark of 110 bogey-free holes.

Ko said a bogey-free round was her goal on Sunday, but she was not necessarily thinking about the records in play.

"I just focus, despite the others like Tiger Woods or Annika Sorenstam," the 26-year-old, said. "I tried to do my best this week and I did. I'm just trying to have fun on the course with my caddie and the other players."

She began the day with a four-shot lead, birdied the par-four sixth and par-five eighth, then pulled away with birdies at the 12th and 13th holes before adding two more at the 15th and 16th. Her lead was big enough to withstand an error on the par-four 17th before closing with a routine par on the last hole.

A week after settling for a disappointing runner-up finish at the LPGA ShopRite Classic, Ko became the fifth Korean player to reach double-digit LPGA titles.

She retained her title at the Founders Cup, which she won in 2019 at Wildfire Golf Club in Phoenix. She has won three tournaments in her last seven starts after taking the Volunteers of America Classic in July and last month's Portland Classic.

Masson posted the low round of the day, a spotless 64 with seven birdies, to move into second.

"I can't tell you how big this is," she said. "It's been a little bit rough this summer, probably the toughest in my career. So to come back out and have a good week last week and feel like I'm getting really close."

American Elizabeth Szokol (69) was third on 273, one ahead of South Korean Lee6 Jeong-eun (67) and reigning US Women's Open champion Yuka Saso (70) of the Philippines.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE