Jin Young Ko wins Evian Championship, her second Major this season

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Jin Young Ko took advantage of a friend's misfortune to win her second major title of the season on Sunday win, and claimed Nr. 1 place in the world ranking for women's golf.

Ko fired a 4-under 67 in the rain-fighting final round to win the Evian championship with two shots with a 15-under total of 269.

After being the first major in April , the ANA Inspiration, had already won, Ko closed this victory after her playing partner, former leader and close friend Hyo Joo Kim lost control of the tournament with a triple bogey on the par-3 14th.

Ko took the two-shot lead she got, and added a birdie to par-4 No. 17, to hold off strong finishes by American rookie Jennifer Kupcho (66) and Shanshan Feng (68) ).

Ko, a 24-year-old South Korean, played the 18th par-5 with a cushion with two shots and no drama. Kim (73) made a birdie to participate in a three-way draw with Kupcho and Feng.

Ko said her game was "a bit perfect" after she received the silver trophy presented by Lindsey Vonn, the highly decorated Olympic skier.

Ko acknowledged to be sad for Kim, the 2014 Evian champion, whose challenge was reversed after a No. 14 tee shot was stopped under the front of a green bunker. Kim & # 39; s first rescue attempt rolled back from the grass into a deep footprint in the sand. Kim then putted three.

“The lie was so bad. It was really bad luck for Hyo Joo, "said Ko.

The check of the $ 615,000 winner lifted Ko on top of the LPGA money list with nearly $ 2 million this season.

A Second Great Career for Ko, the 2018 LPGA rookie of the year, also means that she is going back to number 1 in the world ranking above her other game partner, Sung Hyun Park, sixth to 10. Under

A final round played in steady rain ended in fading light at 7:35 p.m. local time The start was delayed by 2 hours to prepare the Evian Resort Golf Club course after rain showers during the night.

In her second major as a professional the 22 -year-old Kupcho impressed by making a bogey-free, lowest lap of the day in sustained rain and cooling winds.

"It's crazy. It's exciting to see that I can compete, & Said the native Colorado, not bothered by the gloomy weather "I'm just saying, & # 39; Well, everyone's playing in it, so we're going to be here. & # 39;"

Kupcho was the first woman to win in Augusta National, in the inaugural Women & # 39 ; s Amateur in April, and played seemingly nervous golf until her last 4-foot putt. She made it to secure a $ 289,000 check.

"I stood on this putt at 18 and got a little crazy," said Kupcho, who was an NCAA champion at Wake Forest. "I had to take a deep breath a few times while lining up."

Kupcho had started the day seven shots behind Kim and three behind Ko. Although Park seemed to be preferable, three shots for Ko, she opened with two bogeys and struggled to find rhythm.

Park finished with another bogey 6 on the 18th, playing her approach in flower beds next to the green and hacking over the well surface in thicker grass.

The Jutanugarn sisters from Thailand both shot 68 to achieve top 10 finishes.

Ariya made Jutanugarn on the 18th Eagle-3 to finish alone in fifth place at 11 below, and older sister Moriya finished sixth with Park.

Ko's victory ended a series of 10 different players who won the previous 10 majors for women.

The following starts Thursday, when the Women & # 39; s British Open starts in Woburn, England. It is the first time since 1960 that the majors of two women are played in back-to-back weeks.

On Sunday morning, Ko canceled her planned evening flight to England. It was one of the many good movements she made in Evian.