BANGKOK (AFP) – World number one Lydia Ko fired a bogey-free four-under-par 68 to sit three shots off the lead after the first round of the LPGA Thailand yesterday.
Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, China’s Lin Xiyu and Anna Nordqvist from Sweden were among five players at the top of the leaderboard at Siam Country Club Pattaya.
American Jennifer Kupcho and local hope Jaravee Boonchant – a rookie ranked 238 in the world – were the other two.
New Zealander Ko came into the USD1.7-million event in ominous form.
The Seoul-born 25-year-old has won three events in her last four starts. She is also newly married.
Ko, who carded four birdies, was in a share of 17th alongside South Korea’s former world number one Ko Jin-young and current world number two Nelly Korda.
Also in 17th after a blemish-free 68 was last year’s winner Moriya Jutanugarn, the first Thai to claim victory in the tournament.
