Reto rounds out good week as Ko wins in Hawaii

Apr 18, 2021 | Featured, South Africans abroad

Paula Reto carded a final-round three-under-par 69 on Saturday to finish in a share of 27th in the LPGA Tour’s Lotte Championship in Oahu, Hawaii.

She carded all four rounds in the 60s after qualifying for the tournament, and her 14-under-par 72-hole total saw her finish 14 shots behind former world number one, Lydia Ko of New Zealand who had a runaway seven-stroke won over the South Korean duo of Inbee Park and Sei Young Kim, and Nelly Korda and Irish rookie Leona Maguire.

Reto had a poor start after making a promising birdie on the opening hole, as she dropped three shots in a row on two, three and four. She steadied things with pars all the way to the turn, and then picked up a birdie on the 10th to begin the rehabilitation process. She was back to level-par for her round with a birdie on 14, and then three birdies in a row on the final three holes of her tournament saw her to the 69.

Ko, who turns 24 next Saturday, won 14 times in her first 81 starts, including twice as an amateur in 2012 and ’13. But she had only won once since — three years ago — until Saturday. She came up three strokes shy of the LPGA record of 31-under. That was set by Sei Young Kim.

You may also like…