Lydia Ko wins Women’s Aussie Open title by 2 for 6th LPGA win

Lydia Ko is a winner again on the LPGA Tour.

The 17-year-old Kiwi put away the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open on Sunday with a two-shot win over Amy Yang. Ko shot a final-round, 2-under 71 on the composite course at Royal Melbourne to capture the title with a 9-under 283 total.

Ko had entered the final round with a share of the lead alongside Ariya Jutanugarn, whose closing 76 left her in third palce. It was a rough start for Ko, who dropped a shot at the first and missed a short birdie putt at the second. However, a pitch-in eagle on the third hole helped Ko get back on track.

“I couldn’t really see the ball drop in the hole but people were clapping and it was getting louder as the ball was getting closer,” Ko said.

Ko admits she was the beneficiary of a 45-minute weather delay, as lightning was a threat to the course. Before the siren sounded to suspend play, Yang was poised to make a momentum-changing eagle at the par-5 10th, but had to wait. When she returned, Yang settled for a second consecutive birdie at the 10th hole to temporarily grab the lead from the teen No. 1.

“I think that break was really good for me,” Ko said. “I had some lunch and got my stuff together there and I played much better after that.”

Playing in the final group behind Yang, Ko returned to birdie the 10th hole, then the 12th and finished with six pars in a row as Yang faded down the stretch with a pair of bogeys in the final four holes.

The win is Ko’s sixth LPGA title and cements her place as world No. 1 — a status that was in doubt just two weeks ago at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic. Two tournaments as No. 1, Ko now feels assured she can handle her unprecedented position.

Ko said, “It’s good to know that just from my confidence that I can still play good and not really think about the world rankings.”

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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