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Lydia Ko finished 2020 without a win after being tied for fifth in the CME Group Tour Championship.
New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko officially ended 2020 winless on the LPGA Tour, after tying for fifth at the CME Group Championship in Florida.
Going into the final round on Monday (New Zealand time), Ko needed something miraculous to end his 32-month winless streak, sitting five shots off the beat in a tie of four for ninth place.
But despite a flawless three-under 69, he was only able to come within three strokes of the lead and, in the end, finished seven behind, as the namesake Jin Young Ko advanced home over the last nine to claim victory.
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Jin Young Ko finished strong to take the CME Group Tour Championship in Florida.
The world No. 1 entered the final round a shot behind the leader, the world No. 2, her South Korean compatriot and good friend Sei Young Kim, but birdied five of her last seven holes to finish at 18 under par. beating Kim and Australian Hannah Green by five strokes.
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American Mina Harigae was a comeback shot in fourth, with Lydia Ko and American Lexi Thompson finishing at 11 under par.
For the Kiwi Ko, she had to mourn a horrible first round two out of 74 and would ponder what it might have been, after shooting the best second round of anyone with a sublime seven under 65, before her successive rounds of 69.
While it is a second straight year without a title for the former world number one, and with her Mediheal championship crown in April 2018, her only victory in the past 53 months, the 23-year-old has shown promising signs with the new coach Sean Foley. and recorded consistent finals in a Covid-19 interrupted in 2020.
In his 13 events this year, Ko had three top-five finishes, five top-10 finishes, nine top-20 finishes and missed only one cut.
Michael Reaves / Getty Images
Lydia Ko, pictured on the 18th tee during her third round of the CME Group Tour Championship, has had a consistent 2020.
“It has really been uphill for me since after the restart,” he said after his last round of the season.
“In general, I played very solid. I had some weeks, especially at the beginning, where I was not finishing the tournament very well, I struggled in the last round, but I think I was able to overcome that and play the last events much better.
“My goal has always been to compete in the majors as much as possible, and I feel like I was there most of the time in the four majors that we play. So it was a really cool experience.
“I am looking forward to free time. Obviously it has been a shorter season, but I feel like it has continued. And, I mean, it’s Christmas in almost five days. He’s hitting that vacation mode right now. “
Ko said he will be quarantined in Korea over Christmas and New Years, and hopes to start his 2021 season at the second event of the year, the Gainbridge Championship in Florida, the last weekend of February.
