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Since becoming an Olympic champion, everything��Lydia Ko��touches turns to gold.��

The Kiwi surged to a 30th professional victory and her second straight title with a five-shot win at the Kroger Queen City Championship in Ohio this morning.��

Starting the day two shots back from Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, Ko carded the low round of the week with a nine-under 63 finishing at 23 under.��

It’s her 30th professional win and third of 2024 on the LPGA Tour. Ko takes home US$300,000 ($480,810) for the victory.��

Ko had a three-week break leading into this tournament after winning the��AIG Women’s Open, which came on the back of��Olympic gold in Paris.��

The time away from golf only seemed to help her game as she carded all four rounds in the 60s, saving her best for the final day.��

“It’s been pretty surreal. I had the most unbelievable three weeks in the UK and Europe. After having another three weeks before here, was not entirely sure what it was going to be like. I started off this event really strong, playing well the first couple of days. I hung in there yesterday. I knew Jeeno and a lot of the other girls weren’t going to play bad golf, so I just had to try and play even better golf. To have a round like this to cap off a win is pretty special.”��

She dominated the par fives all week and that continued today, picking up five shots with three birdies and an eagle.��

The 27-year-old birdied the opening hole followed by two more birdies at the par five sixth and eighth to move within a shot of Thitikul. Ko then jumped into the lead and never looked back, with a birdie at the 10th followed by a brilliant eagle at the par five 11th.��

Thitikul made two long-distance birdie putts to keep the pressure on Ko, briefly reducing the lead to one shot before the New Zealander birdied the 13th and the 15th to remain in charge.��

Thitikul couldn’t stay with Ko, with three bogeys and two birdies on the final stretch. With a five-shot lead on the 72nd hole, Ko found the middle of the fairway and then reached the green in two. A long-distance eagle attempt just fell short, leaving her an easy birdie putt to card a stunning 63.��

Thitikul finished in second at 18 under. World No1 Nelly Korda, coming off a Solhien Cup victory with USA, was tied for fifth and still sits well ahead of Ko in the season standings following her sixth win this year.��

Today’s performance only adds to Ko’s Hall of Fame career, a spot she thought was in doubt only a few months ago.��

“The things I didn’t believe in happened the last couple of months. I struggled a lot during the middle of the season and I was in a place thinking ‘am I really going to be in the Hall of Fame’? And all of those doubts. I had a fairytale these past couple of months and I thought ‘if I set my mind to it, maybe I can do it’.”��

Asked about what is left for her to achieve, Ko said she was looking at a realistic goal of completing a career slam of majors. To do that she needs to win either the US Open or the Women’s PGA Championship.��

“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’ve been part of this fairytale so why not?”��