Ko sticks to early leaders in major

Lydia Ko is among the early pacesetters at the first golf major of the year. Ko has mixed in five birdies with three bogeys to card two-under par in the opening round of the ANA Inspiration in California.

The 2016 champion is handily placed, four shots off the pace, and says she’s satisfied with her start.

“Overall, I think I played pretty solid. There was a stretch in the middle where I was struggling to make good contact with my irons but I tried to stay patient, and every time I made a mistake, I was able to make a good bounce-back,” Ko said.

“It gives you confidence when you’re in that kind of momentum.”

When Ko bogeyed her 10th hole, she slipped to one-over, but closed with three birdies in her final eight holes to sit in a tie for 16th at the conclusion of the opening round.

Ko said the increasing heat throughout the day in California made things challenging at times but felt confident about the days ahead.

“The weather forecast is pretty dry across the week so the golf course is going to keep getting dryer and that also means your drives are going to run out as well,” she said. “It’s good and tough as well but everyone is playing in the same conditions pretty much so you just have to play smart and strategically.”

Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit leads on six-under par, a shot ahead of Leona Maguire of Ireland and Shanshan Feng. Tavatanakit closed with a birdie on the par-five 18th for a bogey-free 66. She reached all the par fives in two, with birdies at three of them.