Lydia Ko wins Marathon Classic after four-hole playoff

Lydia Ko wins Marathon Classic after four-hole playoff. July. 19, 2016 07:00. by 김종석기자 kjs0123@donga.com. Korean-New Zealander Lydia Ko (19) only ranks 120th in terms of driving distance by recording 248 yards on average in the LPGA tour. In contrast, Ariya Jutanugarn (21) of Thailand, Ko had a showdown with in the playoffs on Sunday local time, is famous for her long driver shots at 268 yards (ranking 11th) on average. Lee Mi-rim (26) of Korea who competed for the title also boasts long driver shots (70th) at 256 yards. Moreover, since the playoff took place at Hole 18, a five-par, 532-yard hole, Ko was in a disadvantageous position in many aspects.

However, Ko became the ultimate winner of the event after intense competition that continued through four extra holes, the most in this season, as she used strategy to follow the course as precisely as a computer. Jutanugarn and Lee, who were pressuring Ko by banking on their long-distance shots, collapsed by making critical errors as if they got exhausted.

Ko had 14-under overall to tie with Jutanugarn and Lee by posting two under in the fourth round of the Marathon Classic, which took place at Highland Meadows Golf Club (par 71) in Ohio, the U.S. on Sunday. She clinched the title by winning in the playoff to secure her fourth LPGA tour victory, the most she has ever acquired in a season.

Through the third extra hole, the three players continued to have pars to display a tight race. On the fourth extra hole, Ko had her shot on the green at a location similar to the position she placed the ball on the third extra hole. She had regrettably lost birdie putt on the third extra hole, but she managed to have her 2-meter birdie putt make all the way to the cup.

Jutanugarn attempted to challenge by playing tee-shot with her 2-iron, but sent the ball to a bunker, before seeing her third shot go beyond the green to lose a chance to win the title. Lee also had her tee shot she played with her 3-wood fall into a forest on the right, and played a layup, before sending her third shot into the bunker to be eliminated from the race for the title.

Ko, who has been often playing like an adventurer in playoffs by posting her fourth win, is ahead of rivals not only in the number of wins, but also average par, score for the player of the year award, and the average number of putts.

Currently ranking first in the global rankings, Ko had her worst performance of this season when she tied for fourth in an event, as she has won the title in two of the events she took part recently.

Ko, who officially became a member of the New Zealand national golf team for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on the day, stands a strong chance to win the gold medal. “It is a great honor to play in the Olympics, and I have high expectations," Ko said. "I hope to meet swimming star Michael Phelps at the athletic village without fail."