Ko Ties 4th In Ibaraki

JLPGA TOUR: KO CLIMBS TO TIED FOURTH IN IBARAKI

13/05/2013

World No.1 amateur Lydia Ko made four birdies in the final nine holes of the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup in Ibaraki to add another top-five finish to her incredible record in professional events.

The 16-year-old from the Gulf Harbour Country Club carded a four-under-par 68 in the final round of the event to climb six places to finish in a share of fourth place on her debut on the JLPGA Tour.

The New Zealand Women’s Open Champion had rounds of 72, 70, 73 and 68 for a five-under-par, 283 total, at the West Course of the Ibaraki Golf Club to finish four shots back from the champion Hiromi Mogi.

Mogi also fired a four-under-68 for her first major title on the LPGA of Japan and the sixth JLPGA victory of the 36-year-old's career.

Ko finished as the leading amateur ahead of Japanese amateur Yumi Matsubara and continued her phenomenal record in professional events.

She is famous for being the youngest winner on the ALPG, LET and LPGA Tours and she has never missed a cut in the 17 professional events she has played since making her debut in a pro event at the NZ Women’s Open in 2010.

This season she won the New Zealand Women’s Open at Clearwater, finished runner-up at the NSW Open and the Australian Open, tied fourth on the JLPGA Tour, tied ninth at the LOTTE LPGA Tour event in Hawaii and in a share

of 25^th place and the leading amateur at the Kraft Nabisco Major Championship.

Ko, who is No.22 on the Official World Golf Rankings, has won three titles, finished runner-up twice and third once in world-class fields.

She has also finished as the low amateur in all three major championships she has contested to earn an amateur record that is one of the best ever seen in the game.

Ko is going to return home this week to catch up on some school work. Her next event is the LPGA Championship at the Pittsford Golf Club in New York from June 6 -9 where she will contest her fourth major and look to become the youngest major winner in history.

American Morgan Pressel was the youngest winner in major history when she claimed the 2007 Kraft Nabisco Championship at the age of 18 years, 10 months and nine days.

But for now she has the chance to reflect on another remarkable week where she once again confirmed her potential as one of the most exciting young players in the world of golf.

Lydia Ko’s results in professional events in 2013

1^st – New Zealand Women’s Open

2^nd – NSW Open

2^nd –Australian Open

T4th – JLPGA World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup

T9^th – LOTTE LPGA Championship in Hawaii

T14th – Thailand PGA (LPGA Tour event)

T25th and leading amateur – Kraft Nabisco (major)

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