Jin Young Ko wins the HSBC Women’s World Championship, sets record for consecutive rounds in 60s
- Matt Cooper
- 6 March 2022
The Korean World No. 1 claimed her fifth win in her last eight starts.
Jin Young Ko's current domination of the women's game was re-established Sunday with her victory in the HSBC Women's World Championship at Sentosa GC in Singapore, her 13th LPGA career triumph.
Starting the final round in a tie for second, just one blow behind the leader In Gee Chun, Ko made a slow start on Sunday, playing the first seven holes in level-par.
But she closed the front nine with two par breakers and then, after dropping a shot at the 12th, she ticked five birdies in her final six holes to confirm a two shot victory over Chun and Minjee Lee with a 17-under total of 271.
It was a ruthless performance and yet no-one expects anything different from the 26-year-old at the moment.
This was Ko's fourth win in her last five starts and sixth in her last 11. In that run she has only once been denied victory when entering the final round in-contention; her final round stroke average in the last five starts is 65.00.
Records broken 🚨
— LPGA (@LPGA) March 6, 2022
Jin Young Ko now holds the Tour record for most consecutive rounds in the 60’s with 15 and consecutive sub-par rounds with 30. 👏 pic.twitter.com/Cgdkbrrx8u
Moreover, her final round 66 (following laps of 69-67-69) set the LPGA Tour's all-time record for consecutive rounds in the 60s (15) and most consecutive sub-par rounds (30).
Only one of those last 30 rounds has not been sub-70.
She has a fondness for record streaks: her 114 consecutive bogey-free holes in 2019 bested Tiger Woods' record of 110 and is the longest known stretch of par-golf in LPGA and PGA Tour history.
"First of all, I'm just so proud of myself to record 60s in 15 rounds straight," she said afterwards. "I'm so happy. I feel amazing right now.
"It's tough playing with two Korean players. They are amazing players and we are still close friends. So it's always hard to be playing with the last group, last round with the Korean players.
"So I just keep more focused on my body and my swing."
What a day for Jin Young Ko 👏
— LPGA (@LPGA) March 6, 2022
Watch the champion's final round highlights 👇 pic.twitter.com/edV5dTWwm2
Chun was proud of herself for both playing through the pain of a neck spasm that nearly forced her withdrawal on Thursday and also for landing a first top two finish since her victory in the 2018 HanaBank Championship.
Lee thrashed 11 birdies in her final round and said: "Knocked a little bit of the rust off."
