Big Payday for Ko

Lydia Ko was the recipient of the biggest prize in the history of women's golf on Sunday. After taking the $1 million bonus for winning the Race to CME Globe at the end of 72 holes, the 17-year-old from New Zealand edged Spain's Carlota Ciganda on the fourth sudden-death playoff hole at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla., to win the CME Group Tour Championship.

With the victory in the LPGA Tour's season-ending event Ko also earned $500,000.

Ko finished with a 4-under 68 to tie Ciganda and Uruguay's Julieta Granada, who closed with a 70 and 71, respectively, in regulation at 10-under 278.

All three parred the 18th the first time down it, but Granada bogeyed the second time on the par-4, sending Ciganda and Ko to battle it out head to head from that point forward. Both parred the hole the third time - with Ciganda just missing a six-foot birdie putt that would have given the 24-year-old from Pamplona the outright win.

On the fourth time down the 18th, Ciganda found the hazard left of the green with her approach. After taking a drop and a one-stroke penalty and needing a par, she chipped short to five feet. Ko, meanwhile, found the right-front on the green in two and two-putted for the winning par.

"I didn't really think about it. Even playing out there today I just set myself the goal to make myself as many birdies and just go out there and have fun," the down-to-earth Ko said at greenside about the possibility of such a huge payday.

"At the end of the day it's been like this [playing a playoff] - I thought I'd be playing 72 holes but I've played a round of 76. I'm excited that the season is over, but it's been great."

Finishing two strokes out of the playoff was Florida native Morgan Pressel, who closed with a 72, while three back were Michelle Wie (70) and Germany's Sandra Gal (72).

South Koreans Hee Young Park (69) and So Yeon Ryu (73) tied for seventh at 283, while another stroke back were Stacy Lewis (71) and fellow American Brittany Lang (72), and Korea's I.K. Kim (70).

Lewis, Inbee Park and Ko were the top-three players in the Race's points standings heading into the tournament and in the best position to win the bonus. But Ko came through when she needed to, getting the $1 million bonus and capping her day off with the victory.

Inbee Park never got going in the tournament, though the two-time winner this year shot her best round, a 2-under 70, to end up tied for 24th at 288.

Despite not winning the season-ending tournament, Lewis had an outstanding year, locking up the Rolex Player of the Year, Vare Trophy for low scoring average and the LPGA's official money title on Sunday, a feat not accomplished by an American since Betsy King in 1993.

"I went into the week wanting to win these three awards," said Lewis, a three-time winner in 2014. "The $1 million and all would've been nice, but I would take these three over $1 million any day. I am just really proud of the way I played.

"I didn't have my best stuff all week. Even today just had to kind of grind it out and make a few putts there at the end, which I did. But it's just amazing. I just feel like a ton of weight has just been lifted off my shoulders."

For all the scores, visit www.lpga.com.

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