Lydia Ko goes back-to-back for 22nd LPGA Tour title

Lydia Ko was crowned winner of the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G on Sunday afternoon at TPC River’s Bend, blitzing the field by five shots to claim her third LPGA Tour title of the 2024 season.

Ko won the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January and then captured the AIG Women’s Open in her last start at the Old Course at St Andrews, making her triumph in Maineville, Ohio the first time she has won in back-to-back LPGA Tour appearances since 2016.

“It's been pretty surreal,” said Ko on the 18th green. “I had the most unbelievable three weeks in Europe, and after having another three weeks off, you're not entirely sure what it's going to be like. I started off this event really strong, playing well the first couple of days.

“I hung in there yesterday, and I said I know that Jeeno and a lot of the other girls aren't going to play bad golf, so I just got to try and play even better golf. To have a round like this to cap off a win is pretty special.”

Between Ko and Jeeno Thitikul

At the start of the final round, it looked like it was going to be a two-horse race between Ko and Jeeno Thitikul, which is what ultimately played out at TPC River’s Bend.

Thitikul led Ko by two at 16-under to begin the day, but Ko quickly got within one after making birdie on the par-4 1st hole. The duo parred their next four holes before both picked up birdies on the par-5 6th hole, leaving Ko one back of Thitikul, who had climbed to 17-under overall.

A Thitikul eagle on eight got the Thailand native to 19-under, giving her a two-shot advantage over Ko, who birdied the par 5 to get to 17-under. But, Thitikul bogeyed the par-4 9th hole, dropping back to 18-under and now sitting just one shot ahead of Ko with nine holes to play.

Ko tied the lead after burying a 15-footer for birdie on the par-4 10th to move to 18-under overall, then surged two shots ahead of Thitikul when she eagled the par-5 11th hole to get to 20-under-par. But Thitikul drained a lengthy birdie putt on the par-3 12th hole to move back to 19-under and sit one behind Ko with six holes to play.

Watch final round highlights from the Kroger Queen City Championship

Unfazed by Thitikul's push, Ko knocked it close with a hybrid on 13 and holed her resulting birdie putt to reach 21-under, now three ahead of Thitikul after the three-time LPGA Tour winner made another bogey. Thitikul birdied 14 to get a shot back and once again sit two shots behind Ko at 19-under, but Ko birdied 15 to move to 22-under total, ultimately holding a four-shot lead with three holes to play after Thitikul made another bogey on that same par 4.

Thitikul bogeyed again on 17, leaving Ko five ahead heading to the 18th tee box, with the final hole being just a formality for the reigning Olympic gold medalist to collect her 22nd career LPGA Tour title.

After Thitikul birdied the par-5 18th hole to finish at 18-under overall, Ko did the same, polishing off a final-round nine-under-par 63 with one last birdie at TPC River’s Bend to post a 23-under total and win her third 2024 title by a whopping five shots in Maineville, Ohio.

No victory is an easy one

“I don't think it's ever easy. You could win by 10 strokes and still never feel like it was an easy round,” said Ko. “My ball striking has been a part of my game that I feel like has improved a lot and something that I'm more and more comfortable with, especially coming down the stretch when there are big things on the line.

“It's been improving a lot, and I feel like I progressed a lot. Whether it's actually with my technique, also the mental side of things as well. That's the aspect I'm most proud of. I feel like I'm able to handle these situations a lot better than maybe a couple of months ago.”

Huge respect for Lydia Ko

Thitikul’s runner-up performance was her seventh top-10 finish of the 2024 LPGA Tour season, a slate of results that includes her third career victory at the Dow Championship alongside Ruoning Yin. After getting off to a bit of a late start this season because of a thumb injury, the 21-year-old has been impressed with how well she has played in just 12 total events this year and wasn’t too bothered that she got beat by Ko on Sunday just outside Cincinnati, considering it a privilege to watch the Hall of Famer at her best.

“It's super insane. (Lydia’s) putter was on fire today. She make it everywhere that she have a chance,” said Thitikul. “I respect her as like my older sister, as a legend, and also as my role model. It was such a really good experience watching her in my eyes on the same tee box, on the same greens.

“What I have seen in the last couple month has been really good for me. It is more than what I could ask for, you know, in the same year also get injured and be in contention every week I play is really amazing for me.”

FM Championship winner Haeran Ryu finished solo third, with two-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso coming in fourth. Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda tied for fifth alongside Epson Tour graduate Hyo Joon Jang to round out the top five at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. Defending champion Minjee Lee finished in a tie for 27th at 9-under overall.

The LPGA now moves to Rogers, Arkansas for the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G.