Leona Maguire’s opening event of the new LPGA season finished with a tied-27th finish at the Gainbridge tournament at Baco Rio Golf Club in Florida where the star of Europe’s Solheim Cup win signed for a closing 73 for one-under-par 287, all of 13 strokes behind winner Lydia Ko.
Maguire’s round featured four bogeys and three birdies while Stephanie Meadow, also in her debut event of the season, finished with a 72 for 293 in tied-57th.
Ko was involved in a final round duel with Danielle Kang, seeking back-to-back wins after claiming the opening Tournament of Champions event, with the New Zealander claiming three birdies in a back nine charge that saw her sign for a 69 for 274, 14-under, and a shot clear of Kang.
Ko’s right-to-left birdie putt at the 15th hole put her ahead for good Sunday, as the New Zealander outlasted Kang .
Ko held at least a share of the lead after every round at Boca Rio Golf Club en route to securing her 17th LPGA Tour victory.
“There haven’t been many times where we’ve played (together) in the final group,” Ko said. “I know she’s been playing such amazing golf going into today, so I just tried to focus on me and tried to play the best golf I can. I know at points it was a bit of a grind, but I’m glad that I could get that done.”
Ko, 24, entered Sunday’s round with a two-shot advantage over Kang. But Kang took the solo lead with birdies at holes 11 and 12 before giving it back with a costly bogey at the par three 13th. Kang fired a four-under 68 to earn second place.
Japan’s Yuka Saso tied the low round of the day with a 67 that helped her place third at 12 under. England’s Charley Hull (68) and France’s Celine Boutier (69) tied for fourth at 11 under.
Kang kick-started her round with birdies at the first and third holes while Ko played the front nine in even par, tying the playing partners at 11 under. They both birdied the par four 11th before Kang drained a lengthy birdie putt at 12 for the outright lead.
But a missed par putt on the next hole meant that Kang’s advantage was short-lived. Ko saved par there before making the go-ahead birdie putt at 15.
She also escaped danger at the par three 17th hole, saving par when she hit out of the greenside bunker to mere inches from the cup.
Kang, 29, was vying to win her second event in as many weeks. She was victorious at last week’s Tournament of Champions to kick off the 2022 tour schedule.
American Lexi Thompson and Canada’s Brooke Henderson each shot 68 to finish in a tie for sixth at 7 under.
Collated Final round scores and totals in the LPGA Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, Boca Rio G.C, Boca Raton, Florida (USA unless stated, Par 72):
274 Lydia Ko (Nzl) 63 70 72 69
275 Danielle Kang 65 68 74 68
276 Yuka Saso (Jpn) 67 70 72 67
277 Celine Boutier (Fra) 72 67 69 69, Charley Hull (Eng) 67 71 71 68
281 Alexis Thompson 70 70 73 68, Brooke Henderson (Can) 68 71 74 68
282 Stacy Lewis 68 72 72 70, Maude-Aimee Leblanc (Can) 67 72 74 69, Hye-Jin Choi (Kor) 67 72 73 70
283 Ally Ewing 68 73 72 70, Georgia Hall (Eng) 70 70 76 67
284 Paphangkorn Tavatanakit (Tha) 71 68 74 71, Amy Yang (Kor) 68 74 73 69, Aditi Ashok (Ind) 66 72 76 70, Bronte Law (Eng) 68 70 78 68, Jodi Ewart (Eng) 68 69 76 71
285 Pauline Bouchard (Fra) 73 70 74 68, Ayaka Furue (Jpn) 69 72 71 73
286 Nelly Korda 68 72 76 70, Nasa Hataoka (Jpn) 67 71 73 75, Jessica Korda 72 68 75 71, Ind-Gee Chun (Kor) 68 72 73 73, Megan Khang 70 74 72 70, Carlota Ciganda (Spa) 68 72 76 70, Pornanong Phatlum (Tha) 72 71 74 69,
287 Leona Maguire (Irl) 73 70 71 73, Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 71 74 71 71, Ryann O'Toole 70 70 78 69, Su-Hyun Oh (Aus) 69 70 78 70, Sarah Schmelzel 71 73 73 70, Sophia Schubert 70 72 72 73, Morgane Metraux (Swi) 72 66 76 73,
288 Gaby Lopez (Mex) 68 73 78 69, Xiyu Lin (Chn) 72 72 75 69, Perrine Delacour (Fra) 69 72 75 72, Marina Alex 68 71 77 72, Dana Finkelstein 68 75 76 69, Nam-Rin Ant (Kor) 71 70 75 72
289 Jennifer Kupcho 68 75 79 67, Madelene Sagstroem (Swe) 70 72 78 69, A-Lim Kim (Kor) 70 71 78 70, Thidapa Suwannapura (Tha) 71 73 75 70, Yae-Eun Hong (Kor) 70 73 74 72
290 Jeong-Eun Lee (Kor) 70 75 74 71, Hee-Young Park (Kor) 72 72 75 71, Lilia Vut 70 73 77 70, Atthaya Thitikul (Tha) 72 71 73 74
291 Brittany Lincicome 72 73 78 68, Rachel Rohanna 70 74 72 75, Kelly Tan (Mal) 75 69 74 73
292 Karrie Webb (Aus) 71 72 75 74, Pajaree Anannarukarn (Tha) 70 72 77 73, Wichanee Meechai (Tha) 72 72 75 73, Emma Talley 76 68 76 72, Albane Valenzuela (Swi) 71 73 76 72
293 Jeon-Geun Lee (Kor) 67 73 77 76, Jenny Shin (Kor) 72 73 74 74, Cydney Clanton 74 71 76 72, Amanda Doherty 68 74 78 73, Christina Kim 70 75 74 74, Stephanie Meadow (NIrl) 75 69 77 72
294 Amy Olson 69 75 78 72, Melissa Reid (Eng) 71 72 76 75, Dewi Weber (Ned) 71 71 82 70, Laura Restrepo (Pan) 71 74 75 74, Lauren Stephenson 70 74 79 71,
295 Muni He (Chn) 70 74 79 72, Linnea Johansson (Swe) 72 71 77 75
296 Lindsey Weaver 74 71 74 77, Brittany Lang 72 73 76 75
297 Jaye Marie Green 70 75 78 74
301 Allison Emrey 72 73 81 75, Gerina Piller 67 77 75 82
