Lydia Ko gets record haul by winning LPGA finale

NAPLES, Fla. — Teenager Lydia Ko needed the entire season to win the inaugural Race to the CME Globe and its $1 million jackpot.

She needed four extra holes to pocket an additional $500,000.

Together they made for the richest payday in LPGA history.

Ko, 17, didn't seem bothered by the high stakes and closed out the Tour's season Sunday with a par on the 18th hole at Tiburon Golf Club to defeat Carlota Ciganda to win the CME Group Tour Championship. The million-dollar baby, who this year became the youngest Rolex Rookie of the Year, two-putted from 25 feet to win for the third time in 2014 andthe fifth time in her career.

Her $1.5 million payday pushed her career earnings past $3 million. This year she became the youngest player to earn $1 million when she won the Marathon Classic.

"It's huge money," said Ko, who said she won't be going on a lavish spending spree despite her winnings. "For me, $1,000 is huge money, $100 is huge money. ... This is a pretty special moment. It's been an awesome week. It's a week I will never forget."

Stacy Lewis didn't have a bad day, either, as the tournament, Race to the CME Globe and the Tour's biggest awards were up for grabs on a tense, pressure-packed day where one stroke could have decided everything.

But with a 71, Lewis became the first American since Betsy King in 1993 to win the Rolex Player of the Year Award, the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average and the money title.

Ko wrapped up the $1 million with a sterling 4-under-par 68 before she, Ciganda (70) and Julieta Granada (71) went into a playoff that was played solely on the 18th hole. The three finished regulation at 10 under, two shots clear of Morgan Pressel and three ahead of Michelle Wie and Sandra Gal.

Granada dropped out after a bogey on the second playoff hole. Ciganda missed a putt from 5 feet on the third playoff hole that would have given her the victory. Ko maintained her poise and tapped in from one-inch for the win.

"When I saw that $1 million in the (glass) box, I was like, 'Wow, I wonder who the winner of that will be?' I've never seen that much cash in one place before," said Ko, who earned $16,063 last year when she made her debut as a professional. "But I wasn't thinking about the money all day. I just was thinking about making birdies. ... This year has been awesome. Three wins, rookie of the year, it's a huge honor for me to be here in this position.

"I'm looking forward to what's coming up next year."

While Lewis didn't win the $1 million — she finished second and nabbed $150,000 — she did topple Inbee Park in the final week of the season to wrap up the Tour's most coveted awards. It was her second Player of the Year award (2012), second consecutive Vare Trophy and first money title.

"That's what I came here for," Lewis said of the awards. "The $1 million and all would've been nice, but I would take these three over $1 million any day.

"I am just really proud of the way I played. I didn't have my best stuff all week. Even today I just had to kind of grind it out and make a few putts there at the end, which I did.

"But it's just amazing. I just feel like a ton of weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

"It was probably four of the hardest rounds of golf I've ever played."

Lewis, who finished with a 69.53 scoring average to nudge Park (69.68), said she received a good sign for the final round Saturday at dinner.

"My dad threw me a fortune cookie and I opened it up," Lewis said. "I never really read into these things at all, but this is the only one I opened and this is what it said. 'Good news of long awaited event will arrive soon.' So I carried that in my pocket all day. Pretty good omen last night."

Follow Steve DiMeglio on Twitter @Steve_DiMeglio.