Ko finally nails it

Birdie opportunities littered the four-hole play-off to decide the Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio yesterday morning (Singapore time), before world No. 1 Lydia Ko finally cashed one in to beat Ariya Jutanugarn and Lee Mi Rim at Highlands Meadows.

Ko, one of the game's best putters, poured in a seven-footer nearly identical to one she missed on the third extra trip to the par-five 18th, to win her fourth title of the year and 14th of the precocious 19-year-old's career.

All three players had great chances to claim victory but grazed edges, misread lines or mis-hit their potential playoff-ending putts.

"The longer we were out here, the more tired we were all getting," Ko said.

"But I said, 'hey, the ball is big enough to fit in the hole'," joked the New Zealander.

"Like the last putt. I said, 'hey, deja vu. I just had it not long ago'."

Ko, who stumbled on the back-nine after leading by as many as four strokes, shot a final-round two-under-par 69 and was joined at 14-under 270 by Thai Jutanugarn (68) and South Korean Lee (65), with her compatriot Kim Hyo Joo (73) one shot back. - Reuters.