Lydia Ko Claims Victory at HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore

SINGAPORE, March 2, 2025 — Lydia Ko clinched her 23rd LPGA Tour title on Sunday, securing victory at the HSBC Women’s World Championship with a three-under-par 69, finishing the tournament at 13 under. The 27-year-old New Zealander triumphed by a four-stroke margin over rivals Ayaka Furue of Japan and Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, who both finished at nine under.

This win marks a turning point for Ko, who has historically struggled at the Sentosa Golf Club, with a tie for 34th place the previous year. However, buoyed by a stellar 2024 season — which included an Olympic gold medal and a victory at the Women’s Open — Ko appeared unfazed, stating she was focused solely on the tournament without dwelling on past shortcomings.

“I didn’t play well on this course originally, but I thought it would be good to turn that around this year,” Ko said. “I just tried to focus on me, and I hope I can continue to be ranked on the leaderboard.”

Starting the final round with the lead, Ko demonstrated her prowess by making five birdies while only recording two bogeys. This performance solidified her position, pulling ahead with a series of three consecutive birdies from holes 6 through 8, and sealing the victory with a long-distance downhill putt on the 15th hole.

“I had a dream of winning, but when I woke up, it wasn’t real. Realizing that I hadn’t won yet, I tried to focus only on my game,” Ko added. “This means a lot to me.”

Ko has now surpassed Kari Webb to rank second in LPGA history for total earnings among active players, amassing $20,595,105. She trails only Annika Sorenstam, who leads with $22.58 million.

This victory reignites Ko’s pursuit of a Career Grand Slam, having already won major titles at the Evian Championship, ANA Inspiration, and AIG Women’s Open. Ko stated her ambition to achieve this goal, with both the US Women’s Open and KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on the horizon this June.

“Last year, I won the Olympic gold medal and the AIG Women’s Open, and I got the opportunity to enter the Hall of Fame, but I still have a goal. I want to play the best golf I can during my active career,” she said.

Among other notable performances, South Korean golfer Im Jin-hee placed fourth with a combined score of seven under, while Kim A-rim finished tied for seventh at six under. Kim A-rim currently leads the CME Point standings and the LPGA Player of the Year race.