LPGA Championship: Despite hitting a tree on the first hole of her quest for the biggest prize in women’s golf history and making a bogey, Lydia Ko’s performance on Thursday in the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship could not have been better.
At Tiburon Golf Club, New Zealander Ko responded with eight birdies, including four straight late in the round. This helped her shoot a seven-under 65 and take the lead in the LPGA Tour’s season finale by one shot.
Even excluding the $2 million prize for the winner, there is a lot at stake this week.
Ko currently holds a one-point advantage in the race for the Vare Trophy, which is awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average on the LPGA Tour. In her quest to earn a spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame, each is worth one point.
Ko remarked, “I just want to have a pleasant week, whether I’m carrying the trophy, holding all the awards, or none at all. “These chances don’t present themselves very frequently. When it is there, I want to try to grab it.”
In front of Ko, who has two victories in what she views as her most reliable year on the LPGA Tour, everything is fine. Numerous competitors are following closely behind.
In addition to Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland and Hyo Joo Kim of South Korea, who both carded 66s, Nelly Korda and Brooke Henderson also finished in the top five with 68s. Danielle Kang and Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand, who both shot 66s, are just behind Ko.
Due to surgery to remove a blood clot in her left arm, Korda missed four months earlier this year. She has recovered fully at last, and her victory last week at Pelican Golf Club up the coast allowed her to reclaim the top spot in the women’s world rankings.
Due to back pain, Henderson was forced to withdraw last week, and the Canadian wasn’t even sure whether she would be able to play. She changed her swing, though, and was able to complete the course at Tiburon with a respectable score of 68. Henderson has a remote chance of winning player of the year, but she would need Ko and Minjee Lee to place third or lower.
With $3.7 million in earnings so far this season, Lee has already established an LPGA Tour record. She started with a 71. Atthaya Thitikul, a 19-year-old from Thailand, who held the top spot in the world until Korda reclaimed it, scored a 73. Ko could only chuckle when she hit a tree to begin the competition.
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