Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
Day and Ko are the first Grant Thornton Invitational winners as the LPGA and PGA Tour’s first mixed event produced an incredible weekend.
Lydia Ko and Jason Day are the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational mixed event winners. They posted a bogey-free final round 66 to finish at 26-under and beat the Canadian team, Brooke Henderson and Corey Connors, by one shot.
The duo went 58-66-66 in the 54-hole event, conquering every single format thrown their way.
The alternate shot format Saturday was the most difficult of the week, but the duo still found a way to shoot one of the lowest scores. Round 1 was also a bogey-free day for them, as they made 12 birdies and an eagle in the scramble on Friday.
The final round was modified four-ball, and it was also kind to Ko and Day.
It was their week, and the confidence Day had in his partner didn’t go unnoticed.
“It felt like the most stress-free win because I knew she was going to step up in the end, which was fantastic,” Day said. “It was a fun week. I think having the two tours adjoined this week was a fun way to finish the year, and I’m hoping we get to do it for a very long time.”
On Sunday, they had to make six crucial birdie putts to hold off the rest of the field. Multiple groups went low, but catching this duo from Australia and New Zealand wasn’t happening.
“It was so much fun, and I said on the last hole, ‘Hey, I just want to watch their [the men’s] drives one more time.’ I learned a lot, whether short-sided chips or just how to commit and hit bombs down there. This has been a great start for the two tours coming together and having a mixed event. I hope that this is something that continues,” Ko said after the win.
The Canadians fired off a 63 for solo second, and the Swiss team, Madelene Sagström and Ludvig Åberg, fired off a 60 to jump up six spots and finish solo third.
Henderson and Connors were in the group ahead of Ko and Day. They made four straight birdies down the stretch but settled for par on holes 16-18. While the Canadians challenged the players from down under, Ko and Day were too good to catch.
Ko showed immeasurable confidence, making a birdie putt on 17 that was the difference.
Despite meeting for the first time this week, the two major champions hit it off and had great chemistry. They took each day for what it was worth and made this golf course look easy. Day and Ko loved bringing the two tours together, which made their historic win even more meaningful.
With this win, they will share the $1 million purse, getting $500,000 each.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
