Lydia Ko celebrated a "Cinderella" moment on Sunday by capturing the Women’s British Open title at St Andrews, marking the end of an eight-year wait for a major championship. This victory came just two weeks after her Olympic gold medal win in Paris, adding to the extraordinary nature of her recent achievements. Ko completed her final round with a three-under-par 69, finishing the tournament at seven under par, and secured her third major title with a standout birdie on the 18th hole of the historic Old Course.
Reflecting on her win, Ko described the experience as surreal, especially following her Olympic success. She admitted that, going into the weekend, she doubted her chances of winning the Open, acknowledging that it was the major she felt least confident about. Her latest triumph marked her first major since the 2016 Chevron Championship, and she expressed her delight at the remarkable turn of events over the past few weeks.
The defending champion, Lilia Vu, fell short of forcing a playoff after missing a crucial 15-foot birdie putt on the last hole. Vu's missed opportunity allowed Ko to secure a two-shot victory. World number one Nelly Korda, who led by two strokes on the 14th tee, saw her bid for victory falter due to a disastrous seven shots on the par-five 14th and a bogey on the 17th, finishing in a tie for second place with Vu, Yin Ruoning, and Shin Ji-yai at five under par.
In other notable results, England’s Charley Hull, who led after the first round and had hopes of her first major title, ended the tournament tied for 20th place. Meanwhile, Lottie Woad of England earned the Smyth Salver as the tournament's leading amateur with a total of one under par, closing her campaign with a final-round birdie.
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