Lydia Ko from world number one. The New Zealander won with 267 (64 69 66 68, -21) in the Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented By Public Investment Fund, the first of six races in the same series and the only one in which the prize money was increased from one million to five million of dollars with the first coin of 750,000 dollars going precisely to the winner.
Lydia Ko, results
On the course of the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club (par 72), in King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia, a flash by Lydia Ko on the 17th hole, when she made the fifth birdie of the day, against a bogey, for 68 (- 4), made the difference with the brilliant Indian Aditi Ashok, who had caught up with her on the previous hole (also 68 for her with five birdies and a bogey).
The 24-year-old from Bangalore had to settle for second place with 268 (-20). However, his start to the season was impressive with success in the opening Kenya Open, third place in the previous Lalla Meryem Cup and leadership in the Race to Costa del Sol (order of merit).
Lydia Ko is her second title in this race after the one in 2021. In third position with 269 (-19) the Belgian Manon De Roey and the Americans Lexi Thompson, number 7 of the Rolex Ranking, and Lilia Vu, leader after three rounds.
in sixth with 271 (-17) the Danish Emily Kristine Pedersen, who scored in 2020, and in seventh with 272 (-16) the English Georgia Hall, on the top step of the podium in the third edition of the event last year and who gave a good test even if she failed to grant an encore.
Immediately behind the Japanese Nasa Hataoka, number 10 in the ranking, she is eighth with 273 (-15). Virginia Elena Carta came out after 36 holes, 95th with 151 (74 77, +7), the only Italian in the field. Lydia Ko (born April 24, 1997, Seoul) is a New Zealand golfer of South Korean descent.
She became No. 1 in the world rankings on February 2, 2015 at the age of 17 years 9 months and 8 days, making her the youngest golfer, male or female, to reach the top ranking. With her win of the Evian Championship on September 13, 2015 she also became the youngest female winner of a major competition, aged 18 years, 4 months and 20 days.
In her career she boasts 14 titles on the LPGA Tour, two majors, a silver medal in the individual at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games and a bronze, again in the individual, at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
