24 Aug 2015

Go Ko! Lydia wins Canadian Open

7:21 pm on 24 August 2015

New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko admits she didn't play her best golf during the final round, but it was enough to win her third Canadian open title.

American star Stacy Lewis forced a playoff after her final round of five under par 67 in Vancouver, while Ko shot even par on the last day.

But the 18-year-old world No.2 from Auckland beat Lewis on the first playoff hole with a par, while Lewis had a bogey.

Lewis drew level on 12 under par overall with five birdies and a bogey, while Ko shot even par after a birdie on the third hole and a bogey on the ninth.

Lydia Ko at the Canadian Open

Lydia Ko has won her third Canadian Open. Photo: AFP

Ko started the last round in a share of the two-shot lead with Taiwan's Candie Kung, but she took it outright after birdieing the third hole, while playing partner Kung bogeyed the fourth, sixth and seventh.

Kung finished two shots behind Ko in the end.

Lydia Ko at the Canadian Open

Ko shook Candie Kung off, then beat Stacy Lewis in a playoff. Photo: AFP

"It's been such an amazing week. I made some really good up and downs on the front nine but I just couldn't get anything going and I wasn't hitting anything close," Ko told reporters.

"Obviously Stacy played awesome and so did the other girls so I knew I needed to play consistent and that's what I tried to do."

Lydia Ko wins 2015 Canadian Open

Lydia Ko wins 2015 Canadian Open Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Ko won the event as an amateur in 2012 and 2013, but was unable to claim the prize money at either event due to her non-professional status.

The win is Ko's fourth of 2015.

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