Lydia Ko wins Canadian Open for third time in four years

The New Zealander successfully defended her title in 2013, also as an amateur, in Edmonton, Alberta.

A par on the first play-off hole was enough to land Ko the title at Vancouver Golf Club, where she is an honorary member. Lewis had caught Ko at minus-12 with back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 to close with a 67 before Ko made a nerveless two-putt from 60 feet on 18 to join the playoff.

The winning putt came after her nearly miraculous 50-foot attempt fell inches short at 18.

Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, has water splashed on her after her win in the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open golf tournament, at Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, British Columbia, on Sunday, August 23, 2015. That changed when she won the Cambia Portland Classic, making her the youngest Canadian to win an LPGA or PGA event. Henderson landed her iron near the hole and strolled to the green buoyed by a steady drumbeat of applause from the several hundred fans lining the last stretch and in the stands.

“I wanted to show and give the crowd a little bit of excitement and I think today I did that, especially like I mentioned on 17 and 18”.

Henderson was 1 under on the front nine, then began pounding the ball and dropping putts on the back.

Ko entered the final round tied with Candie Kung, who was looking for her first victory in seven years. She had four bogeys and finished with a 75 for a final score of 1-over. She laughed, and added of the back of the cup: “Hopefully it’s not too big of a dent”.

On Tuesday Henderson was granted her Tour card and there were already predictions she could win the Canadian Open. That will be standard for her whenever she plays in Canada, if her ascent in golf continues. I want to share this with everyone who came out here this week. Lee turned pro less than a year ago, which makes her selection to the team that much more impressive.

However, in the play-off, Lewis missed the fairway off the tee and her second shot went into the crowd.

Henderson was booked to fly to Alabama on Monday morning, for the LPGA event near Montgomery, and then has a week back home in Ontario, time with friends and at the family cottage to “just chill out”, she said. Henderson tied for fifth at the past two majors, in June and July.