Jin Young Ko defends Women's World Championship title in Singapore

SINGAPORE (AP) — Jin Young Ko held off an early charge from Nelly Korda and closed with a 3-under 69 for a two-shot victory in the HSBC Women's World Championship, her first victory in a year.

Ko became the first player to win back-to-back at the tournament and joined Inbee Park as the only multiple winners of the LPGA Tour event at Sentosa Golf Club.

She said it was the most important of her 14 wins on the LPGA Tour and 11 on the Korea LPGA because of going so long without a win while struggling with a wrist injury late last year.

Korda also closed with a 69. She ran off three straight birdies on the front nine to get within one shot, only to make bogey on the sixth hole. She never made another serious run at the 27-year-old South Korean the rest of the way.

Ko finished at 17-under 271 and won $270,000. She was No. 1 in the world at this time a year ago and since had dropped to No. 5.