Tag: Jin Young Ko

Broomstick putter leads to resurgence for Yealimi Noh, who needed only 20 putts in Japan

Noh hasn’t finished outside the top 30 in her last six starts.

American Yealimi Noh needed only 20 putts in a second-round 65 at the Toto Japan Classic, where she trails JLPGA player Hana Wakimoto by two strokes.

Noh, 23, hasn’t finished outside the top 30 in her last six starts.

“For me, last year, I was really struggling with my putting and I just needed something new and something completely different,” said Noh, who switched to a broomstick putter late in the summer last year.

“I never even thought of trying it, but my coach and my dad suggested it to me and I tried it. It helped me get over that uneasy feeling over the ball. So, that’s how it started and now using it a year after, my stroke has gotten really solid and my speed is great with the putter so it has helped me a lot.”

Noh ranked 130th in putts per green in regulation on tour in 2022 and 102nd in 2023. She currently ranks 41st in the category.

2024 Toto Japan Classic
Yealimi Noh hits her tee shot on the third hole during the second round of the 2024 Toto Japan Classic at Seta Golf Course in Otsu, Shiga, Japan. (Yoshimasa Nakano/Getty Images)

Noh, who also benefitted from a chip-in on the 14th, posted four consecutive birdies from Nos. 4-7. She’s 11 under through two rounds and tied for a share of second with former No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, who shot 66. Noh was one of three players to card a 65 on Friday, along with Rio Takeda and Yuna Nishimura.

“The greens are very slopey here,” said Noh of Seta Golf Course in Otsu, Shiga, Japan.

“A lot more undulation than we’re used to in the States. Mainly just it being all back to front. Can be quick. But it’s a little soft this year, so a little less.”

Another former No. 1, Jin Young Ko, slipped down to a share of fifth after a second-round 70.

Wakimoto, the overnight leader, is currently ranked 236th in the world and leads the field in birdies with 14. A member of the JLPGA since 2018, her best finish on that tour is a tie for fourth at the 2019 AXA Ladies Golf Tournament in Myazaki.

Jin Young Ko looks to extend seven-year win streak after opening 65 at Toto Japan Classic

Things are looking up for the former No. 1.

Jin Young Ko claimed her first LPGA title in October of 2017 and has won at least once on tour every year since.

That remarkable streak, which adds up to 15 LPGA titles, is in jeopardy, however, with only a handful of events left on the 2024 calendar. Ko, who battled a shoulder injury in 2024, has two runner-up finishes so far this season and came into this week’s Toto Japan Classic off a poor showing in Malaysia after a second-round 78.

But things are looking up for the former No. 1. Ko’s opening 7-under 65 included six birdies in a back-nine 31. She trails leader Hana Wakimoto by two shots.

“I mean, I didn’t do anything on the front nine,” said Ko, who is playing in this event for the first time since 2018. “Yeah, I played really nice on the back nine. I do not know what happened, but I really tried my best …. It’s been a while since I played a good score this year, so I am so happy.”

\Jin Young Ko of South Korea hits her second shot on the 18th hole during the first round of the TOTO Japan Classic 2024 at Seta Golf Course on October 31, 2024, in Otsu, Shiga, Japan. (Photo by Yoshimasa Nakano/Getty Images)

After losing in a playoff to Haeran Ryu at the FM Championship in September, Ko took five weeks off before returning to the tour in Malaysia.

Wakimoto, who is making her LPGA debut, recorded nine birdies en route to an 18-hole tournament scoring record at Seta Golf Course. Currently ranked 236th in the world, Wakimoto has competed on the JLPGA since 2018 with her best finish, a tie for fourth place, coming in 2019.

Lauren Coughlin has the tastiest round in taking lead at ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open

By the end of the day, it was Lauren Coughlin who had given everybody food for thought.

They like their grub, these golfers. Lydia Ko, for instance, had been wolfing into cupcakes at Dundonald Links during the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open.

Jin Young Ko, meanwhile, has been reacquainting herself with an old favorite of hers, the Scottish sausage roll. Then again?

“I went to the cafe in Troon and ordered the sausage roll but it was just burned,” said the two-time major champion. “I texted my friends and said, ‘is this a sausage roll?’ and they said, ‘no’.”

Whatever it was that was plonked in front of her, it didn’t do Ko any harm. A four-under 68 in round three hoisted her into the top 10. By the end of the day, though, it was Lauren Coughlin who had given everybody food for thought.

A surging six-under 66 from the in-form American propelled her to the top of the leaderboard on a 12-under aggregate and gave her a slender one-shot advantage over Megan Khang heading into the closing round.

It’s been a profitable few weeks for Coughlin. The 31-year-old’s flurry of form started with a fourth-place finish in the Evian Championship, the penultimate women’s major of the season, and was followed by a maiden win on the LPGA Tour at the Canadian Open.

A solid tie for ninth in the Portland Classic prior to pitching up in Ayrshire kept Coughlin ticking along. Now, she’s on the cusp of a significant success in the game’s cradle.

On a challenging, windy day – a mere breeze in Scottish golfing parlance – Coughlin harnessed the conditions well with a bogey-free card which equaled the best score of round three.

A bag of six birdies aided the Coughlin cause as she continued to feed of the feel-good factor that her fine form has generated.

“I’ve just been feeling really good about my game,” she said. “I’ve started getting confidence and being relaxed is all I need to do.” Perhaps we should all try this laid-back approach to this game?

Khang, who was sharing the lead overnight, was ambling along with 11 straight pars but needed to up the ante as Coughlin barged her way to the front.

Patience was a virtue for Khang, though, and she found another gear on the run-in with birdies at the 12th, 14th and 17th in a neatly assembled round.
It’s all to play for with a round to go. “I just have to give myself the opportunities to hole birdies when I have to and get some up-and-downs when need be,” she said. “That’s going to be what makes or breaks this tournament.”

Germany’s Esther Henseleit won silver in the Olympic golf event in Paris last weekend but the 25-year-old is going for gold here at Dundonald.

The two-time Ladies European Tour winner vaulted into contention on nine-under after a 66 which included three birdies in a row from the eighth and an eagle on the 14th.

A bogey on the 16th took some of the shine off the round but it was still a fine day at the office.

In round two, Henseleit came a cropper in a Dundonald bunker and just about required a mini excavator to dig herself out on her way to an eight. There were no such calamities yesterday.

“Everyone knows Scottish bunkers are no joke,” she said with a wry chuckle. “It took me a little while to get out. I’m just trying to enjoy the challenge of links golf.”

England’s Charley Hull stayed in the hunt with a three-under back-nine in a 69 which left her sitting alongside Henseleit on nine-under.

Her title tilt may just be bolstered by the presence of her other half to cheer her on. Somewhere in the crowd there’s you, as ABBA used to say. “My boyfriend flies up in the morning, so I’m buzzing,” said Hull.

Minjee Lee, who was sharing the lead at the start of round three, made an early thrust with back-to-back birdies at the second and third but the Australian would leak three shots coming home and eventually signed for a frustrating 72 which left her four back on eight-under.

“It was up and down,” said the 2018 runner-up. “I started well but just didn’t carry on the momentum. It’s links golf. Sometimes you just have to take it on the chin. I’m just going to try to get some good vibes with the putter.”

Cake-loving Ko sits on seven-under alongside the aforementioned Ko. Sausage roll, anybody?

5 takeaways from Honda LPGA Thailand, where a ‘humbled’ Patty Tavatanakit stays hot

Here’s what you need to know from the first round of play on Thursday.

The LPGA returned to action in Thailand after a three-week break and Peiyun Chien lit up Siam Country Club Old Course with a career-tying 8-under 64. The 33-year-old Taiwanese player poured in seven birdies and an eagle to take control.

“I like the course because I just feel the green is similar in Taiwan, so I read better,” said Chien, who needed only 24 putts in the first round of the 2024 Honda LPGA Thailand.

There are 11 Thai players in the field of 72, including last week’s winner on the Ladies European Tour, Patty Tavatanakit. The no-cut event features a purse of $1.7 million, with $255,000 going to the winner.

Here are five takeaways from a steamy start to the Asian swing:

10 things to know about the women’s Rolex Rankings, which debuted on this day in 2006

Get to know the Rolex Rankings.

The Rolex Rankings debuted less than 20 years ago on Feb.  21, 2006. For context, the men’s Official World Golf Ranking has been around since 1986.

In that time, 18 different women from nine different countries have risen to the top, giving fans from all over the world reason to celebrate.

The rankings are used to fill fields at the majors, determine teams like the Solheim Cup and International Crown and decide which top players qualify for the Olympics.

Both amateurs and professionals are eligible and the rankings are updated every Monday.

Here are 10 interesting things to note about the Rolex Rankings, which are now 18 years old:

Healthy Jin Young Ko among notable players making 2024 LPGA debut in Thailand

Several stars are teeing it up in Thailand.

Former World No. 1 Jin Young Ko returns to competition at the Honda LPGA Thailand. The last time the South Korean star teed it up on the LPGA at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, she was wearing a brace on her left knee. Ko eventually withdrew from the event prior to the third round.

Ko insists that’s now behind her and said doctors checked her entire body – knees, shoulders, wrists, spine – and reported that she’s healthy for 2024. She flew to Vietnam during the extended offseason to train with her coach and feels confident going into her 10th season as a professional, including time spent on the KLPGA.

Her goal this year: Stay healthy and keep her energy up throughout the season.

“Usually my season is like first five months was really nice and then my energy getting lower,” she said. “I want to be consistent with my energy, performance, everything. … Hard practice and after the practice, let it be, let it go.”

World No. 1 Lilia Vu headlines the Honda Thailand field. Last year Vu broke through with her first LPGA title in Thailand, and then went on to win three more times, including two majors.

While her first two events of 2024 were lackluster at best, Vu went home to California during the three-week break to work on her ball striking.

“I think that was a bit of a wakeup call for me,” said Vu of the shaky start, “but definitely needed to happen.”

Lydia Ko, who won the season-opening event and lost in a playoff to Nelly Korda the next week, will return to action next week in Singapore at the HSBC Women’s World Championship. Korda, meanwhile, is in the midst of a seven-week break and returns at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship next month.

Ko isn’t the only player making her 2024 season debut. Here are several other notable players (with Rolex Ranking) starting their first LPGA start in Thailand:

Is LPGA dominance a thing of the past? Here’s the history of the most wins by players in a single season

It’s tough to see how these numbers get matched.

True dominance on the LPGA might be a thing of the past. There was a time when Mickey Wright won a staggering 10 times or more over the course of four consecutive seasons.

It’s been a decade since a player has won more than five times in a single season. Yani Tseng was the last player to win seven times in 2011.

Compare that to Annika Sorenstam’s double-digit years or when Lorena Ochoa won six, eight and seven times from 2006 to 2008.

Is anyone capable of matching those efforts in the modern game?

As the tour gets deeper by the decade, here’s a closer look at most wins by year on the LPGA:

5 things we want to see on the LPGA in 2024: A dominant player, a legendary sendoff in St. Andrews and more

A marquee major championship venue and the need for a dominant player highlight our 2024 LPGA wish list.

Looking ahead to 2024, it’s once again easy to focus on premiere venues and events on the upcoming LPGA schedule. For starters, it’s an Olympic year and a Solheim Cup year, which means there’s plenty to play for beyond the week-to-week grind. Every shot builds toward making a team or the trip to Paris.

And, once again, there’s a jewel on the 2024 major championship rota that’s a household name among non-golfers: the Old Course at St. Andrews. Surely something magical is in store for the third playing of the AIG Women’s British Open on the historic track.

Here’s a look at five things we’d like to see on the LPGA in 2024:

Five players have ascended to No. 1 this season, setting new LPGA record

It’s been a head-turning year in women’s professional golf.

It’s been a head-turning year in women’s professional golf. For the first time in the history of the Rolex Rankings (which dates back to 2006), five different women have been ranked No. 1 during a calendar year.

On Sept. 11, China’s Ruoning Yin, a two-time winner on tour this season, rose to No. 1 for the first time. In 2022 and 2017, four different players held the No. 1 spot, which was the previous record.

Yin became the third player to reach No. 1 at the age of 20 or younger, joining Atthaya Thitikul (19 years, 8 months and 11 days in October 2022) and Lydia Ko (17 years, 9 months and 9 days in February 2015 and 18 years, 6 months and 2 days old in October 2015).

While Lilia Vu won two majors this season, Yin’s consistency allowed her to overtake the young American after a strong finish over the weekend in Cincinnati. One year ago, Yin ranked 193rd in the world.

With nine events left on the LPGA’s 2023 schedule, here’s a look at the tour’s revolving door of world No. 1s:

Megan Khang wins for first time on LPGA at 2023 CPKC Women’s Open in Canada

“I’m pumped to finally get the first one,” she said.

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Jin Young Ko was four shots back heading into the final round the Cognizant Founders Cup in May. She would go on to win there, which is tied for the largest comeback on the LPGA this season.

To start the final round of the CPKC Women’s Open in Canada on Sunday, Ko was five shots back of leader Megan Khang. Was another large come-from-behind win in the making?

On the 18th hole, Ko missed the green left with her approach but got up-and-down for par to finish at 9 under, good for the clubhouse lead.

Moments later, Khang, who was at 8 under after a bogey on No. 17, had her best shot of the week, stuffing her second shot on the challenging closing hole to about five feet. There had been only four birdies all day on the 18th hole and Khang needed to make the fifth in order to force a playoff.

Seeking her first LPGA win in her 191st career start, Khang then calmly poured in the putt to post a 2-over 74 and get into her first career playoff.

On the first playoff hole, Ko teed off first but pulled her tee shot left. Khang striped hers down the middle of the fairway, then hit an approach similar to the one she had in regulation, her ball rolling a little farther and nestling just into the fringe. Ko’s third shot, meanwhile, found a greenside bunker and after blasting out, she faced a 40-footer for bogey but missed, and ended up taking a 6 on the hole.

That set the stage for Khang, who putted from the fringe to about a foot before holing out for par to seal the deal on her first LPGA victory.

“My game has kind of been trending and has matured in the last couple of years,” she told Golf Channel on the 18th green moments after winning. “It was juts a matter of time.”

Khang, already locked into a Solheim Cup spot for the U.S. team, said she spoke with other members of that squad who have tasted victory for some inspiration.

“I’m pumped to finally get the first one,” she said.

Khang is the ninth first-time winner on the LPGA in 2023. She earned $375,000 for the win.

Canadian favorite Brooke Henderson finished tied for 13th. Alexa Pano, who won her first LPGA title last week, tied for 22nd. Nelly Korda shot a pair of 75s over the weekend and tied for 32nd. Lydia Ko shot 82 on Saturday and finished at 13 over and in last place of all the golfers who made the cut.

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