ANA inspiration: Patty Tavatanakit rejects Lydia Ko of 62 charges for winning Mission Hills Golf news

Lydia Ko shoots in 62 – the lowest ever final round in a women’s major tournament – but Patty Tavatanakit holds on to nerves to complete a wire-to-wire win at Mission Hills Country Club; Englishmen Charley Hull and Mel Reid tied for 14th place

Thai Patty Tavatanakit kept calm in the middle of Lydia Ko’s historic round to win ANA inspiration at the Mission Hills country club.

Who pressed Tavatanakit with 10 under 62 – the lowest ever final round in the women’s major – but the 21-year-old’s world number 103 held firmly at the top of the ladder to complete a wire-to-win win and garner her first success on the LPGA tour at the main opening of the year.

Tavatanakit closed with four under 68 – her fourth round in the 60s after 66, 69 and 67 – to finish at 18 under 270, two ahead of Ko.

Tavatanakit had five clear steps in the final round, but former world champion 1 Ko, the 2016 champion in Rancho Mirage, but without a win since April 2018, has already started his collection by the time he flew away.

New Zealander Ko, who started eight from the lead, was the first bird, and then added an eagle to the second, to which Tavatanakit parried as she impressively started to stay clean at the top.

Further the birds followed for Ko, 23, on the fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth, as she reached the turn in a record 29 strokes.

Tavatanakit, whose length separated from the shirt was a feature of her game this week with an average drive of 323 yards, continued to play flawlessly and composed golf in front, though, despite a bird attack with Ko that continued on the 10th, 11th and 15th.

The latter birdie moved Ko within two places of Tavatanakit, who filled the birdie 12th, but the last three holes could only equalize with the track record set by Lorena Ochoa in 2016 and record only fourth 62 in the women’s jersey (Hyo Joo Kim fired 61 at the 2014 Evian Championship for the lowest score).

Poor ride and over-hit bird putt on the 15th tested Tavatanakit, but she managed to make a pair with about 12 feet, the shot was almost a horseshoe, and she parried 16 and 17 to reach the 18th teenager still two clear.

She then calmly made another solid pair at the end to round out the win and spur the celebration of the 18th Green.

Tavatanakit, who traditionally jumped into Poppie’s pond before receiving the trophy, insisted afterwards that she was unaware of Ko’s accusation.

“I had no idea,” she said. “I didn’t look at the ladder at all today just because I wanted to play my own game, which I did, and today I did it really well.

“I kept hitting good punches, my punches rolled well. I didn’t read them well today. Overall I feel like I was sticking to my game plan, I overcame the trouble outside. It was mentally hard and I just like it. There was a lot going on and I feel like I’ve handled it pretty well. “

American Nelly Korda, Nanna Koerstz Madsen from Denmark and South Korean Sei Young Kim got 66th to share third place in 11th place with Chinese Shanshan Feng (69).

Jin Young Ko and Inbee Park of South Korea, world No. 1 and No. 2, played rounds 68 and 69, respectively, to equal seventh place in 10th place along with American Ally Ewing (71).

England’s Charley Hull, who started seven from the lead, made an encouraging start with the birds on first and third, but failed to match Ko’s charge and could only add one more bird, along with three excavators, to level 72 to 14 place, along with compatriot Mel Reid, who closed with five less than 67.

Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow also signed 67, to finish in a tie for 19th place in the six under, while Leona Maguire of Ireland (70) finished in a draw for the 28th on four under.

England’s Georgia Hall (69) had another back, tied at 36th for three less, and compatriot Bronte Law (69) shared 50th place at par level.