'Number 1' Ko Jin-young 4th... Korda 'Sisters Win 2 Consecutive Tournaments'

2021 Season Round 2 Gainbridge LPGA Final Day 1 Under Par, Thompson and Lydia Ko Tied 2nd, Sorensen Finishes 74th 'Complete'

Ko Jin-young is teeing off at the 1st hole on the final day of the Gainbridge LPGA. Orlando, Florida, USA ? Photo by Getty Images/Multibits

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] ‘Number 1’ Ko Jin-young (26) was satisfied with being in the ‘Top 5’.

On the final day of the Gainbridge LPGA, the second event of the 2021 LPGA Tour season held at Lake Nona Golf Club (par 72, 6,701 yards) in Orlando, Florida, USA on the 1st (Korean time), she finished with 1-under par and stayed in 4th place (11-under par 277). World No. 4 Nelly Korda (USA) shot 3-under par to complete a commanding 3-shot victory (16-under par 272). This was her fourth career win, her first in 1 year and 4 months since the Taiwan Swinging Skirts in November 2019.

Ko Jin-young started tied for 3rd, 3 shots behind, and recorded 4 birdies and 3 bogeys. After a bogey on the 2nd hole (par 5), she made consecutive birdies on the 4th and 5th holes and another birdie on the 9th hole (par 5), gaining momentum. However, she lost a stroke each on the 10th and 13th holes, falling behind in the race for the title. She tried to get back on track with a birdie on the 15th hole (par 5), but there were not enough holes left. Her shot accuracy was not bad, missing the fairway and green only four times each. However, her putting, with 32 putts, was a hindrance.

Nelly Korda is making a chip shot on the 1st hole on the final day of the Gainbridge LPGA. Orlando, Florida, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

Korda made 3 birdies without any bogeys. She set a remarkable record as the second-ever ‘sisters winning consecutive tournaments,’ earning $300,000 (about 340 million KRW) in prize money. Her older sister Jessica Korda (USA) won the season opener, the Diamond Resorts Tournament, last month. The first-ever sisters to win consecutive tournaments were Swedish sisters Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam in March 2000. Lexi Thompson (USA) and Lydia Ko (New Zealand) tied for 2nd place (13-under par 275).

Patty Tavatanakit (Thailand) struggled with 2-over par and dropped to a tie for 6th place (10-under par 278). South Korea was represented well by Jeon In-ji (27, KB Financial Group), Shin Ji-eun (29, Hanwha Q CELLS), and Choi Woon-jung (31, Volvik), who tied for 8th place (8-under par 280). ‘Number 2’ Kim Se-young (28, Mirae Asset) surged to a tie for 24th place (4-under par 284) with a daily best 6-under par round. Annika Sorenstam (Sweden), the ‘former golf queen,’ who returned to the LPGA Tour after 13 years, finished 74th (13-over par 301).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.