Struggling Ko off the pace in major
Lydia Ko is eight shots off the pace after the opening round of the Women’s PGA Championship, and has work to do to make the cut.
The 21-year-old New Zealander carded a two-over-par 74 at Kemper Lakes Golf Club in Illinois yesterday, leaving her well back from leader Sung Hyun Park, who fired a smooth six-under 66.
Ko is in a share of 86th and outside the cut (top 70 and ties), after failing to knock down a single birdie in her opening round of the third major of the year.
She dropped two shots on the par-four 18th, double bogeying the final hole of ‘‘The Gauntlet’’ – the name given to the three-hole stretch from 16 to 18 due to its difficulty.
All three holes are lined with water hazards, and there’s five more holes where players have to dodge the drink on the course, which hosted the men’s PGA Championship in 1989, and suits big hitters.
Ko, who started her round on the back nine, will look at her round and rue a bunch of shots, including missed birdie putts on 10 and 12.
On both holes her approach shots stopped to within a few feet of the cup, only for the good work to come undone with the putter in hand.
Had it not been for a quality chipin to save par on the lengthy par-five 11th, the two-times major winner would have found herself even further off the pace.
As good as Ko’s shot was, it was outdone by American playing partner Lexi Thompson and her ace on the par-three sixth.
Thompson shot an even par 72 to finish the first round in a share of 51st, having started her round with a birdie, before tripping up on the 12th, 15th and seventh holes.
Hyun Park, last year’s LPGA player, and rookie, of the year, carded a superb blemish-free round, nailing birdies on five of the first 10 holes.
Last year’s US Open winner added two more on the back nine, before coming through the tricky final stretch unscathed.
There’s a four-way tie for second, with Canadian Brooke Henderson, and Americans Jaye Marie Green, Brittany Altomare and Jessica Korda one shot back from Hyun Park.
Pre-tournament favourite Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand), who leads the LPGA in every major category this year, shot an even par opening round and is tied for 51st.