Jin Young Ko Wins 2019 Evian Championship for 2nd Major Title This Year
Jul 28, 2019
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE - JULY 28: Jin Young Ko of South Korea in action on the 9th hole during day 4 of the Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 28, 2019 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Jin Young Ko captured her second major title of the season Sunday, winning the 2019 Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France.
Ko shot a four-under-67 in the final round to finish at 15 under for the tournament. Jennifer Kupcho, Hyo Joo Kim and Shanshan Feng tied for second at 13 under.
Ko stepped to the 18th tee with one hand on the title after a birdie on No. 17 opened a two-shot edge on the next closest golfers. Reading the green perfectly, her putt broke at the last minute and found the bottom of the cup.
CLUTCH. 🐦
Jin Young Ko takes a two-stroke lead into the 18th hole at the @EvianChamp!
After making the turn at two under, Ko birdied No. 10 before a slight setback on No. 12 with a bogey. She immediately responded with a birdie on No. 13, which erased any chance of a collapse at the final hurdle.
Consistency was the key for the 24-year-old as she missed only one fairway and one green in regulation, perLPGA.com.
That contrasted sharply with the performance of HyoJooKim, who had a one-shot lead through 54 holes.
A birdie on the 11th hole put her at 16 under, two shots clear atop the leaderboard.
Then came a bogey on No. 12 and a triple-bogey on No. 14. Kim went from sitting in first place to falling two strokes behind Ko. And at such a relatively late stage of the tournament, she had little hope of mounting a comeback.
Little separated Ko and Kim. They were both good off the tee and with the putter. Kim had a slight advantage in the approach game, though, which was particularly noticeable as Ko's title challenge ran aground on the 14th hole.
— The Amundi Evian Championship (@EvianChamp) July 28, 2019
Kupchoowned the best score of the round (five under 66) but had too much ground to make up in the end. Even after closing with two birdies on her final three holes, she needed help from Ko to force a playoff tiebreaker.
TheLPGAschedule immediately shifts to the final major of the season. The AIGWomen's British Open tees off at WoburnGolf Club in Milton Keynes, England.
Ko will be looking to atone for a disappointing showing at last year's Women's British Open, when she missed the cut after going three over in the first two rounds.
Women's PGA Championship 2019: Hannah Green Wins 1st Career Major Title
Jun 23, 2019
Hannah Green, of Australia, hits a drive on the 10th hole during the final round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship golf tournament, Sunday, June 23, 2019, in Chaska, Minn. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)
Hannah Green held off Sung Hyun Park on Sunday to win the 2019 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
— KPMG Women's PGA Championship (@KPMGWomensPGA) June 23, 2019
The Australian shot a 72 in Round 4 to finish nine strokes under par for the tournament. This kept her one shot ahead of Park in second place while completing the wire-to-wire victory at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.
Not only was this the first major victory of Green's career, it was the first title of any kind and only the third LPGA top-10 after turning pro in 2018.
— KPMG Women's PGA Championship (@KPMGWomensPGA) June 23, 2019
She needed a par to close things out on No. 18 and did just that with an up-and-down from the sand.
Green had been in control for most of the week and had a one-stroke lead going into Sunday, showing no fear out of the gate for the final round.
Ariya Jutanugarn figured to be the biggest competition Sunday, but the two-time major champion fell down the leaderboard with a score of 77 in Round 4.
Meanwhile, Green did her job as a pair of birdies on the front nine gave her as much as a four-stroke lead:
Even in the biggest moment of her career, she seemed incredibly confident. The 22-year-old even had time to interact with some fans in the middle of the round:
— KPMG Women's PGA Championship (@KPMGWomensPGA) June 23, 2019
The 18th-hole birdie put the pressure on Green by cutting the lead down to one, but she came through with a par to secure the victory.
Though Mel Reid had the best round of the day with a 66 to jump from 23rd to a tie for third, Green was the best golfer throughout the week to earn herself a major championship.
Some players will be right back in action next week at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, but the next few weeks will mostly be preparing for The Evian Championship in late July.
Women's PGA Championship 2019: Tee Times, Dates, TV Schedule, LPGA Prize Money
Jun 19, 2019
Sung Hyun Park will look to defend her KPMG Women's PGA Championship starting on Thursday, but she must defeat a loaded field that includes tournament favorite Lexi Thompson, 2019 U.S. Women's Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 and ANA Inspiration victor Jin Young Ko.
Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, will host the third LPGA major of the season, and here's a look at all the relevant information leading into the first round.
You can find notable tee times, dates, the television schedule, prize money, odds and brief write-ups on the top contenders below.
Notable Tee Times
Lexi Thompson (Round 1): 9:08 a.m. ET from Hole No. 10
Brooke M. Henderson (Round 1): 8:57 a.m. ET from Hole No. 10
Jeongeun Lee6 (Round 1): 8:35 a.m. ET from Hole No. 10
Jin Young Ko (Round 1): 2:44 p.m. ET from Hole No. 10
Minjee Lee (Round 1): 9:19 a.m. ET from Hole No. 10
So Yeon Ryu (Round 1): 9:30 a.m. ET from Hole No. 10
Nasa Hataoka (Round 1): 8:46 a.m. ET from Hole No. 10
Ariya Jutanugarn (Round 1): 9:08 a.m. ET from Hole No. 10
Carlota Ciganda (Round 1): 1:49 p.m. ET from Hole No. 1
Sung Hyun Park (Round 1): 2:33 p.m. ET from Hole No. 1
Lexi Thompson is the owner of 10 LPGA Tour wins and 14 top-10 finishes at majors since the beginning of the 2013 season.
She's coming into the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in great form having won the ShopRite LPGA Classic on June 9 and finishing second at the Meijer LPGA Classic one week later. Thompson also registered a third-place mark at ANA Inspiration and a second-place tie at the U.S. Women's Open.
Brooke M. Henderson
The 2016 LPGA Championship winner is arriving to Minnesota off a Meijer LPGA Classic victory where she outlasted four players who finished one stroke behind her, including Thompson.
A two-time LPGA Tour winner this year thanks to her Lotte Championship victory, Henderson comes into Hazeltine in excellent form. She also has little difficulty at majors, finishing 10th or better eight times since 2015.
Jeongeun Lee6
Jeongeun Lee6 didn't waste much time announcing her full-time presence on the LPGA Tour scene when she won the U.S. Women's Open, her first LPGA title.
Lee isn't a typical KPGA Tour rookie, of course. She won six times on the LPGA of Korea Tour before switching over. She also finished sixth at the ANA Inspiration and is 11-of-11 in cuts made this year.
Jin Young Ko
The 2019 ANA Inspiration winner has broken through on the major scene after not finishing top 10 in any of the big five from 2016-2018. That's a distant memory at this point, as Ko beat the ANA Inspiration field by three strokes and also took down the Bank of Hope Founders Cup two weeks prior.
The 2018 LPGA Rookie of the Year has made 36 of 37 LPGA Tour cuts.
Minjee Lee
It wouldn't be a surprise to see Minjee Lee claim her first major win at Hazeltine. Simply put, she has five top-10 finishes and comfortably won the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open by four strokes.
Lee hasn't encountered the major success others have enjoyed, but she has made 19 of 20 cuts since the 2016 Women's PGA Championship. The No. 2 women's golfer in the world is someone to watch.
So Yeon Ryu
So Yeon Ryu's major record is simply remarkable: 13 top-five finishes since 2013, six top-twos and two victories at the 2011 U.S. Women's Open and 2017 ANA Inspiration. She's also garnered five top-three finishes at majors since the beginning of 2017.
Ryu can't be counted out on that resume alone.
Nasa Hataoka
The 20-year-old has already won three times on the LPGA Tour, with her most recent victory occurring at the Kia Classic in March. She beat a tough field by three strokes and showcased the potential to dominate the LPGA Tour for years.
The number of victories could easily be five, but Hataoka lost two playoffs, one occurring at last year's LPGA Championship. She'll look to take the next step at Hazeltine. If not, her first major win can't be far off.
Ariya Jutanugarn
The two-time major winner won the 2016 Women's British Open and the 2018 U.S Women's Open. Four major cuts lie between those two results, but she also finished top 10 in 15 majors from 2016-2018.
The LPGA Tour Player of the Year and money leader for 2016 and 2018 is somehow just seventh on the odds ledger, so value is there for bettors.
Carlota Ciganda
A two-time tour winner in 2016, Carlota Ciganda hasn't been able to finish first since. She also hasn't fared well at the LPGA Championship, finishing no better than 13th since 2013.
Still, Ciganda has four top-six finishes in 2019, so she could be knocking on the door for her next victory.
Sung Hyun Park
Park won last year's LPGA Championship after winning a three-woman playoff following a 10-under finish. She'll hope to have a less nerve-wracking win this time around, but she is as cool under pressure as anyone on tour: Her six victories have all come via playoff or one or two strokes.
Aside from the aforementioned LPGA title, Park also took down the 2017 U.S. Open. She's won six LPGA Tour events and 10 more on the LPGA Tour of Korea.
Jin Young Ko Captures 1st-Ever Major Win at ANA Inspiration 2019
Apr 7, 2019
RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 07: Jin Young Ko of South Korea watches her tee shot on the fourth hole during the final round of the ANA Inspiration on the Dinah Shore course at Mission Hills Country Club on April 07, 2019 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
Jin Young Ko won her first career major title Sunday with a first-place finish at the 2019 ANA Inspiration.
After beginning the day with a one-stroke lead, she remained ahead by shooting a 70 in her final round to finish 10 strokes under par at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. Mi Hyang Lee finished three strokes back to take second place.
The first major of the year was wide open, especially with defending champion Pernilla Lindberg missing the cut, but Ko was the best in the field to bring home the $450,000 winner's share.
Ko entered the day with a one-stroke lead as one of the only players in the field who finished under par in each of the first three rounds. A 68 in Round 3 was enough to put her on top of the leaderboard.
She then got off to a strong start to pull away from the competition:
Jin Young Ko is just playing brilliant golf, now 2-under thru the fifth and a three-shot lead at 10-under at @ANAinspiration . Tough to catch her . . .
There was still a decent amount of competition throughout the day, especially from experienced golfers like Lexi Thompson climbing up the board with a 67 in Round 4.
Following her 5-under 67 final round, @Lexi is in the clubhouse at -6.
She's currently in third place, with both players ahead of her still on the course.
Still, none of them were able to keep up with Ko, who was easily the most consistent player throughout the four days in California.
The 23-year-old had already been the No. 1 player on the money list this season and she added more separation with her latest victory.
After a week off, the LPGA tour will travel to Hawaii for the LOTTE Championship at Ko Olina in Oahu.
ANA Inspiration 2019: Tee Times, Live Stream, TV Schedule, LPGA Prize Money
Apr 3, 2019
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - MARCH 03: Nelly Korda of the United States plays her shot from the first tee during the final round of the HSBC Women's World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club on March 03, 2019 in Singapore. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
The first major of the 2019 LPGA Tour is upon us, as the world's best female golfers have traveled to Mission Hills, California for the ANA Inspiration.
Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg will defend her title, the first of her LPGA career, against a strong field that will include several former champions and star players such as Sung Hyun Park, Ariya Jutanugarn and Minjee Lee.
Asian players have dominated the LPGA Tour this season, but they've only taken two of the last six titles in Mission Hills, which has seen several surprises in the last few editions.
Dates: Thursday, April 4, to Sunday, April 7
TV Info: Golf Channel (U.S.), Sky Sports Golf (UK)
The 20-year-old won the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open in February and has been steadily putting together solid results since, including a second-placed finish at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup in late March.
With her strong result at the Founders Cup she overtook Lexi Thompson, the 2014 ANA Inspiration champion and another contender from the United States. The 2014 triumph remains Thompson's only major win, and after a difficult 2018 season, she has yet to bounce back in 2019.
Jessica Korda and Danielle Kang deserve a mention as players to look out for as well, but ultimately, most punters will back the strong Asian contingent.
Japan's Nasa Hoatoka is the most recent LPGA event winner, as she won the Kia Classic, and Park enters the ANA Inspiration as the world's top-ranked player.
She took the win Singapore and has high ambitions for the 2019 campaign:
"My goal for this year was five wins, and I've had one so far. So four more to go."
Sung Hyun Park is trying to chase down win number two on the season, and currently has a share of the lead at -10.
Jin Young Ko won the Founders Cup to take the lead on the LPGA money list, and while the 23-year-old has fallen short of expectations in majors in the last few years, her current form means this could be the year she breaks her duck.
Lindberg finished outside the top 25 of every other major last year after her shock win, so she'll be an outsider once again here.
LPGA Star Jessica Korda's BF Johnny DelPrete Arrested in Prostitution Sting
Feb 23, 2019
SOUTHAMPTON, NY - JUNE 30: Jessica Korda walks with her boyfriend/caddie Johnny DelPrete during the final round of the 2013 U.S. Women's Open at Sebonack Golf Club on June 30, 2013 in Southampton, New York. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
Former Web.com Tour golfer Johnny DelPrete was arrested Friday morning in Florida on a charge of soliciting prostitution as part of the same statewide investigation into sex trafficking that led to charges against New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
Roxanna Scott of Golfweek reported the update Saturday and noted DelPrete, the boyfriend of LPGA star Jessica Korda, was released from custody in Martin County on $2,500 bond.
The 29-year-old Florida native attended the University of Louisville and the University of Mississippi before turning pro in 2010. He appeared in eight Web.com Tour events between 2012 and 2014.
His LinkedIn profile noted he's now a licensed realtor in Jupiter, Florida. He lists the end of his golf career as May 2017 after other stints with PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour China.
No further details about the charge against him were released.
A statement from a Kraft spokesperson denied the allegations against the Pats owner Friday.
"We categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity," the statement read. "Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further."
Police in Florida said more than 100 individuals were linked to alleged prostitution at Florida spas and massage parlors during their investigation, per CNN.com.
