Jin Young Ko won the BMW Ladies Championship in a sudden-death playoff against Hee Jeong Lim on Sunday in Busan, South Korea for her fourth victory of the season.
The 26-year-old came from behind to force a playoff, carding an 8-under 64 for the final round. With a birdie on the playoff hole, Ko earned her 11th career win and the 200th win by Korean-born player on the LPGA Tour.
The putt that sealed Jin Young Ko's 11th win on Tour 💯 pic.twitter.com/bpqpaUWPTP
— LPGA (@LPGA) October 24, 2021
“I wasn’t that nervous going into the playoff. I think I was feeding off the confidence I had during the round. When I was heading to the tee, I turned to Dave and I told him that this was my first playoff ever, and he smiled and he said, ‘Welcome.’ And that helped me ease those nerves,” Ko said of her caddie, Dave Brooker.
Ko is expected to overtake American Nelly Korda as the world No. 1 after the BMW Championship victory. The South Korean previously held the title for 100 consecutive weeks from July 2019 to June 2021.
“I wasn’t too conscious, actually, of the ranking. I always feel if your game is in good form and you keep at it, you can reach that ranking,” Ko said. “I felt if I kept at it and worked hard this year, I might have a chance within this year.”
Ko’s victory comes as the LPGA season enters its final stretch, with the CME Group Tour Championship in November serving as the final tournament.