'Birdie Bomber' Jiwoo Ko Ties 54-Hole Record... Claims Third Career Victory

Wire-to-wire Victory at the Maccol-Mona Yongpyong Open
Champion Again 11 Months After Last Year's High1 Resort Win
Hyunjo Yoo Finishes 2nd, Jiwon Ko 11th, Hyunkyung Park 17th

'Birdie Bomber' Jiwoo Ko tied the record for the lowest 54-hole score.

Jiwoo Ko is posing with the trophy immediately after winning the Maccol-Mona Yongpyong Open. Photo by KLPGA

On June 29, at Birch Hill Country Club (par 72, 6,429 yards) in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, Jiwoo Ko shot a 5-under-par 67 in the final third round of the KLPGA Tour Maccol-Mona Yongpyong Open (total prize money: 1 billion KRW), securing a two-stroke victory with a total of 23-under-par 193. She maintained her lead at the top of the leaderboard for three consecutive days, achieving a wire-to-wire win. This matches the lowest 54-hole score record set by Jung Min Cho at the Lotte Cantata Women's Open in June 2018.

Jiwoo Ko experienced the joy of her first victory at the 2023 Maccol-Mona Yongpyong Open. She has now collected her third career win, coming 11 months after her last victory at the High1 Resort Women's Open in July last year. She earned 180 million KRW in prize money, moving up to fourth place in the money rankings with a total of 504.78 million KRW.

Hyunjo Yoo finished second (21-under-par 195), while Heejung Lim and Jinseon Han tied for third (18-under-par 198). Jiwoo Ko's younger sister, Jiwon Ko, finished tied for 11th (14-under-par 202). Defending champion Hyunkyung Park showed a strong finish by reducing her score by eight strokes on the final day but remained tied for 17th (13-under-par 203). Yewon Lee, who has three wins this year and leads in total victories, finished tied for 35th (8-under-par 208).