Jin Young Ko turned the leaderboard around in eight holes. She started the final day of the Founders Cup, the first regular tournament of the LPGA Tour season, one shot behind Yealimi Noh. With nine holes to go, she was already one ahead. It seemed she had delivered a decisive blow to the tournament. Let’s remember that Ko has 15 victories in the LPGA, two Majors, and a handful of weeks as World Number One. In the other corner, Noh had yet to open her account of wins on the American circuit.
Moreover, the South Korean golfer had gone more than 90 holes without committing a bogey. The outlook looked very good for her. However, 95 holes later, she signed her first blemish on the record. It was on the 13th hole. It might have seemed like an accident, but it wasn’t. She committed another bogey on the 14th and one more on the 16th. That’s golf for you. She went from 95 holes without bogeys to signing three in four holes. Science fiction.
That collapse of Ko, who hasn’t won since May 2023, handed the victory to Noh on a silver platter. It’s her first win on the LPGA Tour. She finished with -21 and a four-shot margin over Ko. The most curious thing is that the new member of the LPGA winners’ circle handles the greens with a broomstick putter, a rara avis in women’s golf.
The final round was a head-to-head at the Bradenton Country Club in Florida. Megan Khang finished third with -16, while Nelly Korda, a local favourite, ended in seventh position, tied with Celine Boutier. Lexi Thompson, who is semi-retired, signed a thirteenth place.
The three Spanish players missed the cut in Florida
The start of the LPGA Tour season brought bad news for the Spanish players. Competing were a veteran like Azahara Muñoz, one making a comeback like Fátima Fernández Cano, and a debutant like Julia López. All three missed the cut. However, Fátima’s second round should be highlighted. After a dreadful first day of 77 strokes, the Galician turned it around with an extraordinary performance of 66 strokes, an eleven-stroke difference. She was one stroke away from playing the weekend. Azahara was two strokes off the cut, and Julia finished further back, five strokes from the cut, heavily weighed down by a double bogey on the first day and a triple on the second.
