Both Kurt Kitayama and Ko Jin-Young earned golfing titles this Sunday, for a grand total of 4 million dollars in prize money.
Kitayama took home his first PGA Tour title after an roller-coaster Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida.
Kitayama recovered from a triple bogey on his ninth hole and just about managed to beat challenger Rory McIlroy, who gave the Californian high praise: “It was a great back nine, it was great to be involved in.
“I’m really happy for Kurt. He’s been playing well for a while now and I’m happy to see him get his first win.”
Kitayama has had a few close finishes in the past but had never earned a PGA Tour victory, “It was everything I kind of mentally prepared myself for,” said the victor.
“I’ve always dreamed of winning on tour and to finally do it, it’s pretty amazing.”
Kitayama will next play in the 2023 Player’s Championship at TPC Sawgrass at Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida from March 9-12, alongside his Arnie’s runner-up McIlroy.
Ko retained her HSBC Women’s World Championship title at the Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course in Singapore.
Ko has now won at least one title in each of her past six seasons, and 14 career LPGA titles total, with the newest winner’s check totalling 270 thousand dollars.
The South Korean golfer couldn’t help but burst into tears, unable to hold back the flood of emotions after her final putt.
After struggling with a wrist injury for a large portion of 2022, Ko was able to earn what she called the ‘most important’ victory of her career.
After starting the day with a three-shot lead, the reigning champ played a conservative game, with her first bogey on hole 11 and a birdie on hole 13 to even it out, she aimed for par the rest of the way, thinking: “OK, let’s make a par, like safe play.”
The now two-time HSBC Women’s World Champion will appear next when the LGPA World Tour resumes at the LGPA Drive On Championship at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club in Gold Canyon Arizona on March 23-26.
