FLORIDA (REUTERS) - South Korean world number one Ko Jin-young used a string of late birdies to pull away from the chasing pack and claim a clinical five-shot victory at the LPGA's season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, on Sunday (Dec 20).

Ko, who began the day one shot back of defending champion and compatriot Kim Sei-young, carded a closing six-under-par 66 that brought her to 18 under on the week at Tiburon Golf Club for her first win of the pandemic-stained season.

England's Hannah Green (67) and Kim (72) finished in a share of second place, one shot clear of American Mina Harigae (68).

Ko birdied two of her first six holes and shook off a bogey at the ninth before making a move at the par-three 12th where she rattled off the first of three consecutive birdies to pad her lead and then added two more over her final three holes.