Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Jason Day of Australia were all alone atop the leaderboard at the finish.
Ko and Day made a birdie on the 17th hole and claimed a one-stroke victory over Canadians Brooke Henderson and Corey Conners in the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational on the Gold Course at Tiburon Golf Club in Tiburon, Fla.
Day and Ko recorded a bogey-free, six-under-par 66 in the modified four-ball format in the final round, when Ko hit a brilliant 3-wood shot to within eight feet on the next-to-last hole to set up a tie-breaking two-putt birdie.
“That shot is so nice,” Day said when Ko’s approach shot on No. 17 was in the air. “It’s weird because that felt like the most stress-free win, because I knew she was going to step up in the end.
“It was a fun week. I think having the two tours join this week was a fun way to finish the year out.”
Added Ko: “As soon as that shot on No 17 .came off the club face, I was like, I think it’s good, please be good, and it was heading right towards the pin. I don’t think I could have hit that shot 100 times and it would turn out better.”
“I learned a lot this week, whether it was short-sided chips or just how to commit and hit bombs down there. I think this has just been a great start for the two tours coming together and having a mixed event, and I really hope this is something that continues for a long time.”
Ko and Day made four birdies on the back nine to finish with a 54-hole score of 26-under-par 190, while Henderson and Conners eagled the first and ninth holes in addition to making seven birdies in a 63 to get close, and Madelene Sagstrom and Ludvig Aberg, both of Sweden, collected 10 birdies and an eagle at No. 17 in 60 to wind up two shots back in third.
Megan Khang and Denny McCarthy had eight birdies after making a bogey on their first hole and their 65 left them three down in a tie for fourth with first-round leaders Nelly Korda and Tony Finau, who birdied the last two holes for a 67.
Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler of Murrieta made five birdies on the back nine in a 66 to finish four behind in a tie for sixth with Leona Maguire of Ireland and Lucas Glover, who had three birdies on the back nine in a 68, while Ruoning Yin of China and Nick Taylor of Canada were one more down in eighth following a 67 that included five birdies.
Lilia Vu of Fountain Valley and UCLA, and teammate Joel Dahmen eagled the sixth hole and added eight birdies in a 63 to finish eight strokes behind in a tie for ninth with rookie Rose Zhang of Irvine and Stanford and Sahith Theegala of Chino Hills and Pepperdine, who had eight birdies in a 64, and Charley Hull and Justin Rose, both of England, who made four of their six birdies on the back nine in a 66.
Celine Boutier of France and Harris English finished 12th after a 65, followed by Mel Reid of England and Russell Henley, who had a 66, while Allisen Corpuz of Hawaii and USC and teammate Cameron Champ of Sacramento eagled No.17 in a 65 to tie for 14th with Andrea Lee of Hermosa Beach and Stanford and Russell Henley, who made three straight birdies on the back nine in a 67, while Cheyenne Knight and Tom Hoge were 16th following a 66 that included five birdies on the back nine.
The Grant Thornton Invitation was the first mixed-team tournament involving LPGA and PGA Tour players since Laura Davies of England and John Daly captured the final edition of the JC Penney Classic in 1999 at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Fla.
For complete results, visit: https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard
