Golf: Lydia Ko falls just short of victory at Hana Championship in South Korea

Lydia Ko. Photo / Getty

Lydia Ko has fallen just short of victory in a rare appearance on the Korean LPGA Tour.

Ko has finished in a share of fifth at the Hana Championship in South Korea, finishing two shots behind Minjee Lee and Ga Eun Song, with a dramatic finish on the 18th hole sending the tournament to a playoff.

The Kiwi went into the final round three shots off the lead held by Lee, having followed a slow opening one-under 71 round with a 65 and 68 to charge into the top 10.

Her deficit increased early in the final round however, with Lee carding three birdies in her first 11 holes to move to 16-under, while Ko had picked up just one birdie, sitting at 11-under.

However, birdies at 13 and 16, coupled with a bogey from Lee on 15, brought Ko within two of the lead, but she couldn't find the green on the par-three 17th and had to settle for par.

Needing a birdie on the par-five last to join Ji Yeong Kim as the clubhouse leader on 14-under, Ko bladed her third shot to within eight feet, but her lead-tying putt rolled past the hole and she was forced to settle for par, and a share of fifth.

In the end, a final birdie would have only been good enough for tied third, with Lee, who had been leading all day, finishing at 15-under after parring the final hole, and she was joined by Song, who hit her approach to six feet and then rolled in the birdie putt to rather annoyingly ensure that the event headed to a playoff finale after the Herald's first edition print deadline.

Fortunately for you, valued Herald online reader, we can report that Song eventually prevailed with a birdie on the third playoff hole, after the pair had carded pars on their first two attempts to find a victor.