Lydia Ko, Lottie Woad Lead in LPGA Tour Opening Round
Lydia Ko and Lottie Woad emerged as co-leaders in the opening round of the LPGA Tour’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions held in Orlando, Florida. Both players showcased strong performances, with Ko achieving a score of 5-under 67, bringing her total to 8-under 136 after two rounds.
Lydia Ko’s Impressive Play
Lydia Ko, who is a member of Lake Nona, continues to impress with her exceptional play. Notably, she is the only player in the 39-woman field who has not recorded a bogey in the first two rounds.
The Hall of Famer and Hilton Grand Vacations ambassador stated, “I’ve had to hole some good par putts, but I really haven’t put myself in that many difficult positions as of yet.” Ko, hailing from New Zealand, has a remarkable 23 victories on the LPGA Tour.
Lottie Woad’s Strong Performance
Lottie Woad, a 22-year-old English golfer, matched Ko’s score. She achieved a 69 in challenging conditions, finishing the round at 8-under 136. Woad reflected on her strategy, sharing, “I looked at the leaderboard quite a lot today because I was getting annoyed. Seemed like there weren’t that many low scores out there, so kind of knew I was still in it.”
Close Contenders
- Nasa Hataoka: 7-under after a 71.
- Amy Yang: 7-under following a score of 69.
- A Lim Kim: The defending champion, at 6-under after two rounds.
- Youmin Hwang: 6-under after a solid 67.
- Ingrid Lindblad: Finished 6-under with a score of 69.
- Top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul and Kelly Korda: Both at 5-under.
Looking Ahead
As the tournament progresses, players are preparing for potentially challenging weather conditions. Kelly Korda mentioned, “I think the weather is going to get a little worse so I’m going to go to the putting green, go to the range because I wasn’t hitting it the best today.”
Aaron Hicks, the baseball player, is leading the celebrity field, adding an entertaining element to this prestigious event. As players gear up for an exciting weekend, the competition at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions promises to deliver thrilling golf.
