ROGERS -- Lydia Ko didn't just step on the gas in her record-setting victory at the Wal-Mart LPGA NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club.
She floored it.
The World's No. 1 player came into Sunday's final round tied with Morgan Pressel at 14 under. When it was over, Ko, 19, had a tournament scoring record at 17-under 196 and won the $300,000 top prize.
She bested the previous mark of 14 under set by Seon Hwa Lee in 2008 and again last year by Na Yeon Choi.
"I don't think you can feel completely safe, especially on a course like this," Ko said. "Especially with the 18th hole, where it can be reachable with a really good drive down there and somebody could make eagle. So, I don't think I was playing in a safer mode the last few holes."
Ko went ahead by a stroke after birdieing No. 1 and never looked back. She stuck her third shot within 2 feet on the par-5 second and again on her second shot at the par-4 fourth to move to 17 under. Another birdie at No. 5 gave her four in five holes and a four-stroke-lead over Pressel.
For the weekend, Ko made only four bogeys over the 54 holes, but three of those came Sunday on Nos. 6, 13 and the par-5 18th, which she eagled Saturday to get into the last pairing.
Those hiccups didn't put a dent in her lead because Pressel sandwiched back-nine birdies on Nos. 10 and 15 around four consecutive bogeys from 11 through 14.
"In golf, anything can happen," Ko said. "You make a bogey, somebody makes a birdie, that's a two-shot swing straightaway. I always say, you never know until you take your glove off on the [final] hole.
The loss was especially hard on a teary-eyed Pressel, who said the tournament is one she takes pride in.
"It's never fun to lose, but this is a special place," said Pressel, who has won twice on the LPGA Tour -- at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2007 and the Kapalua Classic in 2008. "One of the biggest events we have on tour and one of the best. It's a great test of golf."
The victory was Ko's third of the year, the 13th of her career and will keep her at No. 1 in the world for the 36th consecutive week. She also remained at the top of the 2016 money list with $1,816,738. Ko continued her strong run at Pinnacle while she was at it. Her worst finish was a tie for sixth last year when she shot 63 in the final round. She finished tied for fourth as an amateur in 2013 and tied for second behind Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) the next year.
"I know winning the last event of the three-week stretch I played, it's a really cool feeling, and I'm going to enjoy the week off next week," Ko said. "I know we've still got a long stretch of events and two majors."
Despite making bogey on two of her first four holes,
Candie Kung, 35, finished at 14 under along with Pressel despite making bogey on two of her final four holes.
She said the 93-degree temperature and near-100 degree heat index took its toll.
"I was really tired out there. It was really hot," said Kung, who still finished at 2-under 69. "It finally got to me today. I think that's how I started the day because I just made a mental mistake on the second hole."
Sandra Gal had a chance to join Kung and Pressel at 14 under, but plunked her second shot in the water at the 18th and made bogey to fall back to 13 under and in a tie for fourth. It was her best finish since placing third at the 2012 U.S. Women's Open won by Na Yeon Choi at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wis.
Canada's Elena Sharp began the third round tied for third with Kung at 12 under. She had it to 13 under twice, but two bogeys on the back nine sent her back to 12 under.
"Looking back I could have been 2 or 3 under, but it was going to be tough catching Lydia today," said Sharp who will now prepare for the U.S. Open, where her best finish was a tie for 48th in 2010.
Lewis continued her winless drought, shooting a 3-under 68 to finish in a tie for 26th at 8 under. It was her lowest finish in the tournament since finishing in a tie for 49th in 2009 when she shot a 75 in the final round. Now ranked No. 1o in the world, Lewis has not won on the LPGA Tour since winning the NW Arkansas Championship in 2014.
Gaby Lopez (Razorbacks) had a 1-under 70 Sunday to land in a tie for 60th. The Mexico native played as an amateur the previous three years in Rogers, with her best finish a tie for 29th last year.
Sports on 06/27/2016