LONDON - Lydia Ko said she had enjoyed a "Cinderella" story after ending an eight-year wait for a major title by winning the Women's British Open at St. Andrews on Sunday, just a fortnight after her Olympic gold medal triumph in Paris.
The New Zealander finished in champion style with a superb birdie on the 18th hole of a windswept Old Course to complete a round of three-under-par 69 and claim her third major title with a tournament total of seven under.
"It is surreal," Ko told Sky Sports. "Winning the gold medal in Paris a few weeks ago was almost too good to be true. Heading into the weekend I thought 'how is it possible for me to win the Open?'.
"This is almost too good to be true. Out of all the major championships, this was the one I had the least amount of confidence in."
Victory gave Ko, 27, her first major since she won the 2016 Chevron Championship.
Ko, who as a 17-year-old became the youngest player to be ranked number one in professional golf, added: "It is the most Cinderella-like story these past two weeks. To be holding this trophy now, it is some achievement.
"I thought to myself because of the last few weeks it is not going to happen. So don't overreact and play the shot in front of you. My two goals were to par the 11th and birdie the 18th, I achieved both. This is such a special place.
"I always said I wanted to win another major championship. Here I am now as a three-time major champion."
Defending champion Lilia Vu failed to sink a 15-foot birdie putt on the last at the 'Home of Golf', to force a play-off and then missed from barely 12 inches as Ko, already in the clubhouse, completed a two-shot win.