Kiwi Lydia Ko has secured her sixth professional victory on the European Tour, winning the Saudi Ladies International by five strokes from Thailand's Atthaya Thitikul at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.
After firing a course-record 63 on the third day, Ko took a four-shot lead into the final round and maintained her poise, with five birdies and an eagle on the par-five ninth hole to extend her margin, claiming a winning prize of US$129,680 (NZ$135,000).
The result represents her first victory on the European Tour in five years, since she won the 2016 NZ Women's Open at Clearwater, and her first professional success since April, when she took out the Lotte Championship in Hawaii.
"They moved the tee up on nine, so the hole played a lot shorter," says Ko. "I had a good drive and played a seven-iron in.
"I think that second shot was close to being pretty good - I was a little bummed that ball didn't run all the way down, but I've been putting well all week and just trusted my putter. I know that, from that range, a two-putt birdie was still good, so to hole that one was a bonus, for sure."
The world No.7 matched or bettered whatever her closest rivals could throw at her down the stretch - Aussie Stephanie Kyriacou also carded 65 to grab a share of ninth, 13 strokes back.
"I know a lot of the top names were playing really well and this is a golf course where there are a fair amount of birdies, so I just tried to have my share of them and just have fun out there.
"It helps when you go into the final round with a four-shot cushion. You could shot the same score, but you still have the shots from the last three days.
"That definitely helps. I birdied the first hole, and holed two really good putts for par on two and three, and that set the momentum up.
"I just tried to not look back and keep going forward."
After several weeks in Asia and the Middle East, Ko will now return to the LPGA Tour for the Pelican Women's Championship at Belleair, Florida, this week.
