Jin Young Ko rallied to win for the first time in the United States, after an even-par 72 left her five strokes back heading into the weekend at the Founders Cup.

23-year-old Ko closed with bogey-free rounds of 64 and 65 at Desert Ridge to rally for a one-stroke victory Sunday. She birdied Nos. 14-16 and parred the final two to finish at 22-under 266, then won when third-round leader Yu Liu missed a 15-foot par putt on the par-4 18th.

Liu shot a 70 to tie for second with playing partner Carlota Ciganda and sisters Jessica and Nelly Korda. Ciganda closed with a 69, Jessica Korda eagled the two back-nine par 5s in a 64, and Nelly Korda shot 66.

Choosing to putt with the flagstick in the hole under golf's new rules, Ko made a 4-footer on the par-3 14th, two-putted for birdie on the par-5 15th and made it three in a row from 3½ feet on the par-4 16th.

A 10-time winner on Korean tour, Ko won the 2017 LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship in South Korea to earn her LPGA Tour card and took the Women's Australian Open last year.

She broke through in the U.S. on Sunday in the event that honours the 13 women who founded the LPGA Tour. Ko has three top-three finishes in four events this year. She was second behind Nelly Korda last month in her Australian title defence and was coming off a third-place tie three weeks ago in Singapore.

The 23-year-old Liu missed a chance to follow Shanshan Feng as the second Chinese winner in tour history.

Watch the final round highlights of the Bank of Hope Founders Memorial here.

For full results visit: Lpga.com

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