Ko makes a steady start after previous meltdown
Lydia Ko has made a steady start to her latest event, as she looks to shake off any after-effects from her disastrous finish at the Marathon Classic.
Just days after blowing a big finalround lead to miss out on her first title in over two years, Ko was at even par through 14 holes of the first round of the Scottish Open, sitting in a tie for
22nd when play was suspended at the Renaissance Club due to darkness.
Ko, who moved up to 41st in the world rankings after her eventual second-place finish, had one birdie and one bogey in her round to sit alongside her friend (and foe last week) Danielle Kang, with the winner of the last two LPGA events also at even-par.
Denmark's Nicole Broch Larsen is the clubhouse leader at four-under in what is the build-up tournament for the first major of the year.
Broch Larsen made six birdies, including on the final two holes, for a
65 that put her a stroke clear of five players. One of those tied for second was Broch Larsen’s Danish compatriot, Emily Kristine Pedersen, along with American pair Amy Olson and Jennifer Song, Azahara Munoz of Spain and Olivia Cowan of Germany.
Of the 144 women in the field, 27 had yet to complete their round when play was suspended because of darkness.
The event marks the resumption of the Ladies European Tour after a six-month break and comes a week before the first women’s major of the year, the British Open at Royal Troon.
It is the first international event on the LPGA Tour since the Women’s Australian Open in February.
If Kang wins the title this week, she would become the first player since Ariya Jutanugarn in 2016 to win three consecutive events on the LPGA Tour.
Elsewhere in Europe, Ryan Fox is five shots off the lead after the first round of the Celtic Classic in Wales.
Fox carded two birdies in a bogeyfree round to sit in a tie for 34th at two-under par. Fellow Kiwi Michael Campbell rallied with two birdies in his final three holes to shoot even-par.
Belgium’s Thomas Pieters leads at seven-under. With AP