Jin Young Ko regained the No. 1 ranking in women’s golf by overcoming a four-shot deficit to win the Founders Cup on the first playoff hole Sunday when defending champion Minjee Lee three-putted for bogey.
In winning for the 15th time on the LPGA Tour and the second time this year, Ko closed with a 5-under 67 in tough, windy conditions. The 27-year-old South Korean forced the playoff making a clutch downhill birdie from roughly 15 feet on No. 18 to tie for the lead.
Ko joins Lilia Vu as the only players with multiple wins on tour this year, earning $450,000 from the $3 million purse.
The players went back to the par 4 No. 18 at the Upper Montclair Country Club for the playoff. Both players hit the green with their second shots with Lee being about 15 feet away and closer than Ko, who had a winding putt from right to left.
Ko snuggled her birdie attempt to tap-in range and Lee went for the win, but putted it six feet past the hole, missing the par saver to the right.
Lee, who had a two-shot lead with three to play, shot 71.
