Lydia Ko turned a dream into reality Sunday, swinging her way to a dazzling four-stroke victory at the HSBC Women’s World Championship—her first-ever win at this LPGA gem after 11 tries. The Olympic gold medalist and 2024 Women’s British Open queen left Japan’s Ayaka Furue and Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul in the dust, proving once again why she’s golf’s golden girl.
Ko’s final round at Sentosa Golf Club was a rollercoaster with a happy ending. After a slow start, she flipped the switch with a birdie on the par-5 sixth, then unleashed back-to-back beauties on 7 and 8 to snatch the lead. Sure, a couple of bogeys sneaked in after the turn, but the world No. 3 shrugged them off, signing off with a 69 for a 13-under-par 275 total. That’s 23 LPGA titles now—her first since September’s Kroger Queen City triumph.
“I legit dreamed I won last night, then woke up like, ‘Ugh, not yet!’” Ko laughed post-round. “So I just locked in—kept it steady, stayed out of trouble. That was the trick today.” After a decade of near-misses here (her best was second in 2015), she’s finally nabbed Asia’s unofficial major. “It’s a thrill to add this to my trophy haul,” she beamed.
World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul came out swinging, dropping birdies on two of the first four holes to close within a shot of Ko. But her 70 couldn’t catch the Kiwi, landing her at nine under—tied for second with Furue’s slick 68. Charley Hull, who started Sunday just one back, fizzled with a 74, tumbling to a three-way tie for fourth at seven under with Im Jin Hee (whose 67 was the day’s firecracker) and Gaby Lopez (70).
This Singapore stunner is stop two of the LPGA’s three-event Asian swing—next up, Hainan Island, China, where Ko’s hot streak might just keep sizzling. For now, she’s soaking in the win that took 11 years to land. Who’s stopping her now?