Lydia Ko and Lottie Woad tied for the lead in the opening event of the LPGA Tour.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Lydia Ko, a member of Lake Nona, recorded a 5-under 67 on Friday, tying for the lead in the second round with Lottie Woad at the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Ko, the 2024 tournament champion and a Hilton Grand Vacations ambassador, is the only competitor in the 39-woman field to remain bogey-free after two rounds. The Hall of Famer boasts 23 victories on the LPGA Tour.
“I’ve had to make some important par putts, but I haven’t placed myself in too many challenging situations thus far,” stated Ko, who hails from New Zealand. “I believe that’s the reason I’ve managed to have two rounds without bogeys. I’m looking to maintain that positive momentum this weekend.”
Woad recorded a 69, bringing her total to 8-under 136 in predominantly sunny conditions with winds reaching 12 mph in the 70-degree afternoon.
“I checked the leaderboard quite frequently today because I was feeling frustrated,” Woad remarked. “It seemed like there weren’t many low scores out there, so I was aware that I was still in contention. The pin placements were likely a bit more challenging, resulting in fewer birdies compared to yesterday.”
The 22-year-old English golfer claimed victory at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open last year, shortly after winning the KPMG Women’s Irish Open as an amateur on the Ladies European Tour.
Nasa Hataoka, another Lake Nona member, was one stroke behind alongside Amy Yang. Hataoka posted a 71, while Yang recorded a 69.
Defending champion A Lim Kim stood at 6 under after her second consecutive 69. Youmin Hwang (67) and Ingrid Lindblad (69) also reached 6 under.
Top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda were both at 5 under. Thitikul shot a 72, and Korda finished with a 71.
“I think the weather is expected to worsen a bit, so I’m going to head to the putting green and the range because I wasn’t hitting it my best today,” Korda noted. “I just need to work on a few things before the weekend.”
Baseball player Aaron Hicks led the celebrity field.
