Golf: Lydia Ko finishes fourth after brief lead at LPGA Classic

Lydia Ko hits off the first tee during the final round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Photo / AP

Lydia Ko recorded her 98th top 10 LPGA Tour finish of her career after a strong final round at the Shoprite LPGA Classic in New Jersey this morning.

Ko was briefly tied for the lead at the start of the back nine after four birdies through the front nine holes but bogeys at the 11th and 13th halted her run. She picked up birdies on the final two holes to finish inside the top five for the fourth time this year.

Ko finished with a final round four-under 67 to be 10-under for the tournament, two shots behind winner Brooke Henderson.

Henderson won a playoff over American Lindsey Weaver-Wright with an eagle on the first playoff hole for her 11th professional victory after shooting a 64 on the final day.

"I kind of lost momentum a little bit after bogeying 11 and 13... it was nice to be able to finish on a high," Ko said after her round.

Ko will look to take her strong run of form into the Women's PGA Championship, the third major of the year, which takes place in a fortnight.

"Week in, week out you try and play consistently. I guess that's the goal. It is hard. I think the level of play and the level of talent on tour is really high, so to continuously play well and to win I think makes it extra difficult.

"But I'm trying to focus on my game and see what else I can do better and kind of take it day by day."

Meanwhile, Danny Lee had his third top 10 finish of the season after shooting 65 in the final round of the Canadian Open.

Lee finished at nine-under in a share of 10th spot to earn US$237,000. Rory McIlroy won the event at 19-under on the back of a final round 62, for his 21st victory on the PGA Tour.

Englishman Justin Rose flirted with a 59 before a bogey on the 18th hole saw him card a 10-under 60.

In Europe, Kiwi Daniel Hillier finished fifth at the Empordà Challenge on the Challenge Tour. Hillier shot a final round 66 for his best finish since February.