NAPLES, Fla. – With partner Jason Day in the bunker, Lydia Ko stepped up with a 3-wood into the wind from 203 yards and struck the shot of the day on the par-5 17th, essentially locking up the victory at the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational.
“That is so nice,” marveled Day as the ball tracked through the air.
The two former No. 1s joined forces to top the mixed-team field, earning $1 million, or $500,000 each. The final round featured a new modified four-ball format in which both players teed off from their respective tees and then switched for the second shot, playing that ball for the remainder of the hole.
Ko and Day came into the penultimate hole at Tiburon Golf Club knotted with Canadians Brooke Henderson and Corey Conners – playing two groups ahead – at 25 under. While Ko didn’t manage to convert the eagle putt, the closing birdie put them one shot ahead going into the last. They parred the 18th to finish with a 6-under 66 and win by one with a 26-under 190 total.
“I don’t think I’ve seen so many female junior golfers out at an event,” said Day, “especially a PGA Tour event, as I did see them this week.
“This is something that I think we have to keep striving towards.”
The victory at Tiburon was a special kind of vindication for Ko, who failed to qualify for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in 2023 after winning the event the year prior.
“As soon as it came off the club face, I was like, I think it’s good, please be good, and it was heading right towards the pin,” said Ko. “I don’t think I could have hit that shot 100 times and it would turn out better.”
A self-described introvert, Ko admitted to being particularly nervous coming into this week having never met Day, who is 10 years older. Day said they’ll now leave Naples lifelong friends.
Major champion Karen Stupples, who follows the LPGA all season working for Golf Channel/NBC, commented after Saturday’s round of 6-under 66 in alternate shot that Ko’s game looked as good as she’d seen it all year.
Ko spent some time with Jin Young Ko’s instructor Siwoo Lee at a couple points this season and again, as Golf Channel analyst Morgan Pressel reported, last week at Lake Nona. Pressel said that Ko’s swing looked less manufactured at Tiburon and that she appeared to be thinking less mechanics.
Ko noted that she’d won her first event of the season on the Ladies European Tour in Saudi Arabia and the final one here at Tiburon. She’d like to cut out everything in between.
“I’m just trying to keep it really simple,” said Ko, “and the less manipulation I can do, the better, and I think I have a better understanding of my swing and my tendencies.”
At No. 19 in the world, Day was the highest-ranked PGA Tour player in the field at Tiburon while Ko ranked 11th. Ko has 19 LPGA titles, including two majors, while Day owns 13 PGA Tour victories, including one major.
Day called it a mostly stress-free victory, noting that he had full confidence that Ko would step up in the end. The Kiwi delivered.
“She actually has a very strong champion mentality,” said Day. “When you’re out there talking to her, and you’re sitting there and you’re thinking, oh, you got a bad bounce or this and that, it’s never like, you’re right, I got a bad bounce or it went up against the lip … she’s always looking forward.”
Earlier this season, Day broke a five-year victory drought at the AT&T Byron Nelson and then later welcomed his fifth child with wife Ellie. With the whole brood on hand in Naples, Day joked that he and Tony Finau were fighting for strokes gained kids on the PGA Tour.
“When you win, and you’ll experience this one day when you have children yourself and you’re still playing,” Day said, turning toward Ko, “there’s nothing quite like having children run up to you after you win a tournament just because of all the emotions start to come out just because you can see how much your children love you and want to be there for you.
“Every time I get to experience that, it fills me. I’m just very grateful for that.”
Newlywed Ko, who has long said she’d be retired by 30, smiled and told Day that maybe she’d someday get that experience at a club championship.
Henderson and Conners, boosted by a pair of eagles, finished with a 9-under 63 on Sunday. A stalled-out finish of three pars to close the round – including the par-5 17th – kept the pair out of the winner’s circle.
“I was able to play with a lot of freedom knowing I had Brooke to back me up,” said Conners, who holed out for eagle on the par-4 ninth. “Yeah, it was so much fun. Just so impressed with her game.”
Madelene Sagstrom and Ludvig Aberg put together the round of the day on Sunday – a 12-under 60 – to vault up the board into solo third at 24 under. The Swedish pair have the same swing coach, and Sagstrom’s fiance is on Aberg’s bag.
The familiar duo spiced things up even more inside the ropes with some side bets. Sagstrom said she ended the round down $20.
“Personally, I’ve struggled a little bit with foursomes,” said Sagstrom, “both in Solheim Cups and in general. I think it’s kind of hard when you really don’t want to screw up someone else. “I felt comfortable today.”
Sagstrom echoed the thoughts of many this week when she that said outside-the-box events are what’s needed to grow the game.
“Lexi did get a bigger cheer than Rickie did on the tee box yesterday, and I take pride in that,” said Sagstrom. “It’s just been a great week to show off our games – even compared to each other.”
World No. 1 Lilia Vu had her visor signed by partner Joel Dahmen and his caddie after their closing 63. The camaraderie shone through for many teams who met in person for the first time in Naples.
“Our team’s going to have more fun than everyone else,” Dahmen promised at the start of the week, “that’s the No. 1 thing.”
They’re already talking about next year.
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