Ko ignites major hopes on favoured course
Lydia Ko has picked up where she left off at one of her favourite majors.
Back at Mission Hills, the scene of her incredible course-record 10-under 62 in the final round in 2021, Ko has carded a four-under 68 in the first round of the Chevron Championship, the first major of the season.
While it wasn’t as remarkable as her last round on the course, it was still effective, with the Kiwi sitting in a share of fourth at the end of the first round yesterday, two shots behind leaders Jennifer Kupcho and Minjee Lee.
Defending champion Patty Tavatanakit, who Ko nearly ran down last year before settling for second, is third at five-under, while Georgia Hall, Anna Nordqvist, Caroline Masson, Pajaree Anannarukarn and Gabriela Ruffels make an array of strong contenders alongside Ko at four-under.
Ko picked up five birdies to go with a solitary bogey on a course that is second only to the Evian Championship in terms of her major results.
Formerly known as the ANA Inspiration before this year’s sponsor change, Ko won here in 2016, finished sixth in 2020 and second in 2021, while she has never missed the cut, with her worst result in nine visits being a tie for 51st.
Yesterday’s four-under first round is the best Ko has managed in those visits but the 24-year-old is preaching patience in her 10th attempt.
“The year that I won, I didn’t shoot super low, but I remember I had a really solid afternoon round.
“It’s 72 holes, just like all the other events we play, but majors seem a little longer. That’s why patience is such a big key around here, if you do make a mistake, not to get too caught up on that and just move on and save it for the holes coming in.”
The windy conditions also tested that patience, with Ko one of the last players to tee off.
“When I saw the forecast, it was just going to continue to blow as the day went on. I knew I had to play pretty consistently and not get too frustrated if I did hit a missed shot.
“It’s not easy out here and the winds don’t make it any easier, so I just [have to be] patient and enjoy it.”
The biggest surprise came in the struggles of world No 1 Jin Young Ko.
The South Korean had set an LPGA record with 34 straight under-par rounds, including a streak of 16 straight rounds of scores in the 60s, on her way to winning six of her last 11 LPGA Tour starts.
But the 2019 victor at this course failed to make a birdie in a two-over 74 that sees her in a share of 78th.
“I was hitting lots of great shots but my putting wasn’t good,” she said.