22 Jul 2015

Ko falls just short in Ohio

2:06 pm on 22 July 2015

The New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko fell just short of defending her title at the LPGA Tour's Marathon Classic in Ohio, finishing in a tie for third at 13 under.

Lydia Ko

Lydia Ko Photo: Photosport

Ko briefly led by two shots on the front nine before losing momentum after the turn on the way to a four under par 67, tied with China's Shanshan Feng.

The world golf number two started the day in a share of third, two strokes behind the leader, South Korea's Jang Ha-na.

Ko won the tournament last year in her first season as a professional.

Chella Choi clinched her first LPGA title with a gripping playoff victory over fellow South Korean Jang Ha-na.

Choi, 24, parred the first extra hole, the par-five 18th, where Jang ran up a bogey six, as Choi landed a breakthrough win in her seventh full-time season on the U.S. circuit.

The pair had finished the 72 regulation holes on 14-under 270.