Lydia Ko after winning the Kroger Queen City Championship. Photo: Photosport
Lydia Ko's brilliant golfing surge has continued with a stunning win in the LPGA Kroger Queen City Championship in Ohio.
Ko, who started the day in second place, two shots behind Thailands Jeeno Thitkul, blitzed her rivals with a nine-under 63 to win by five strokes from Thitkul, with Haeran Ryu of South Korea a stroke back third.
It was Ko's 22nd LPGA Tour win and follows her Paris Olympics golf medal and then her third major win, in the British Open, last month.
Ko stunned the crowd with an eagle on the 11th hole to go ahead of Thitkul and never looked like surrendering from here.
She hit seven birdies, including on the final hole, and didn't drop a shot.
The events of the past couple of months had been ''pretty surreal", Ko told Sky Sport after her win.
"I had the most unbelievable three weeks in Europe and after having another three weeks off you're not entirely sure what it's going to be like."
Ko hit seven birdies, including on the final hole, and didn't drop a shot. Photo: photosport
But she said she started this event in Cincinnati strongly, playing well the first couple days and had "hung in there'' during the third round.
"I said I know Jeeno and the other girls aren't going to play bad golf, so I've just got to play even better golf. To have a round like this to cap off a win is pretty special."
The New Zealander said she struggled during the middle of the season and had doubts over whether she really could make the LPGA Hall of Fame. But then things started happen and she made the Hall of Fame with her at the Olympics.
"I had a fairytale these last couple of months and now I feel that if I set my mind to do it maybe I can do it.
"So it's always been a goal of mine to do the career grand slam, but I just thought that would be so out there, but I feel I have been part of this fairytale so why not."
The grand slam involves five majors and Ko has won three of them - the British Open, the Chevron Championship and the Evian Championship. To achieve a grand slam she has to win either the PGA Championship or the US Open, and if she wins both it is called a "super career grand slam".