NAPLES FL – Lydia Ko, who was playing in the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club, made bogey on the first par 5, but it did not foreshadow what the rest of the day would bring.
After an opening 7-under 65, Ko is the leader of the Rolex Player Of The Year race and Vare Trophy. The course record at Tiburon is held by Ko, the 25-year-old Kiwi, who won this tournament in 2014. She shot 31 back nine holes and recorded eight birdies. Record-breaking $2 million is earned by this week’s winner.
Ko. said, “The wind blows four holes in the wind. It’s a beast.” It’s a beast with no wind. It was clear to me that I had to keep my cool and be patient. I was able grab many of the opportunities in the back nine. It was a great way to end the round.
Ko is an 18-time LPGA winner. She was awarded the LPGA Player of the year in 2015. Minjee Lee is one point ahead of her in the POY race. Lee opened with a score of 71, and is currently tied for 23rd. To earn points, players must finish in the top 10.
7-under 65
Lydia Ko leads after 18 holes at the @CMEGroupLPGA pic.twitter.com/wGfyHESL9m
LPGA (@LPGA November 17, 2022
Nelly Korda is the current No. 1 and winner of the Pelican Ladies Champion last week. 1 made a 20-footer on the second hole for bogey, which felt almost like a birdie. She opened with a 4-under-par 68, with two dropped shots and hitting all 14 fairways.
Korda said, “It was kinda sporadically windy,” but then, I guess once I got past a few of my shots, the winds died. So those were my like two mistakes really.”
Brooke Henderson pulled out of last week’s Pelican event due to an injury to her upper back. She said she was not sure if it would be possible for her to tee off this week. The Canadian is part-time resident of Naples, and was able to shoot 68 on Thursday. Henderson, who is a two-time winner, stated that she had made adjustments to her swing in order to be able play.
Brooke Henderson hit her second shot from the first fairway of the 2022 LPGA CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, Florida. (Photo by Lynne Sladky/Associated Press
Danielle Kang spent four day with Butch Harmon in Las Vegas last week. She felt positive about the swing changes they made, and she took notes on her glove. Kang spent a month with Inbee park in South Korea, where she tied her 10th place at the BMW Ladies Championship.
Kang, who revealed that she had a tumor in her spine over the summer, lost in a playoff to Atthaya Thitifkul at Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. She tied for third at LPGA Mediheal after returning to competition after a long break.
Kang stated, “I wish we could just get to the point where I don’t want to be associated so much with so many health things as I’m here, I’m standing infront of you guys and I’m playing golf.”
As athletes, we will always think about our bodies and how to keep them in top shape. The way I warm up and approach certain types of tasks is that I’ve had to overcome obstacles. But that’s part of life. There is no way to predict the future.
