Ko with a chance at history
With a four-shot lead heading into Sunday’s finale at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, Jin Young Ko as a chance at LPGA Tour history.
Ko, who won on the LPGA Tour in 2017 as a non-member, could become the first golfer in 67 years to capture a title in her debut as a member, and just the second ever.
Beverley Hanson achieved the feat at the 1951 Eastern Open.
The LPGA Tour rookie had an up-and-down Saturday, but managed to pull away from the pack late. She’ll go into Sunday four shots up on Australian Hannah Green, who she played with last year at an event in Japan.
“This course is narrow, and then there’s the green, so I’m thinking about only the greens and then try to two putt,” she says of her strategy for Sunday. “Birdies will be OK, but yeah, that’s it.”
The South Korean won the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship a year ago, in just her third-ever start on the LPGA Tour. She has a chance to win wire-to-wire this week, and she’s made a bit of a habit of winning lately, as she captured nine titles on the Korean LPGA Tour before taking up LPGA Tour membership this season.
Ko was one of nine South Koreans to win on the LPGA Tour in 2017 (including Ha Na Jang, who won this event a year ago), and says she’s been watching the Winter Olympics every night – taking place this month in her home country – especially the speed skating which, she said, is her favorite event.
Ko was 3-under through five holes before bogeying two of her final three holes on her front nine. She made another bogey on the par-4 13th but closed out her day on the par-4 17th for a 1-under-par 71.
“I focused on my game and I think my chipping and putting were keys,” she explained.
Green with the round of the day
Australian Hannah Green gave the hometown crowd something to cheer about Saturday, as she fired a 6-under-par 66, the round of the day and the second-lowest round of the tournament.
Green said she did some work on her ball-striking Friday afternoon (she shot a 2-over-par 74 in the second round) and admitted it “wasn’t there.”
“It was obviously tough last night finishing, but I actually got over it really quickly, went straight to the range, hit some balls. I probably only hit 20 balls, because I knew I wasn’t too far away from where I needed to be,” she said.
Whatever she worked on paid off.
Green got off to a fast start making three straight birdies and finishing 5-under par after the front nine. She went birdie-bogey-birdie to finish, and is alone in second. She’s four shots back of the lead going into Sunday’s finale as she looks for her first win on the LPGA Tour.
Green finished tied for seventh at this event a year ago, playing as a non-member.
“I was very happy with last year’s performance and I feel like I can go better than that this year with how I’m hitting it,” she said. “It’s good to have, I guess, some experience and some results there in an Australian Open.”
Green said it’s been nice to be recognized this year amongst fans and on TV. Growing up in Western Australia she didn’t have a chance to attend professional events, so she said the young fans in attendance buoyed her confidence.
The 2018 LPGA Tour rookie got her career off to a fine start in the season’s first event in the Bahamas, finishing tied for 11th, and has managed to keep that momentum going this week.
“I’ve played probably my best golf the last three weeks and it’s just great to be here in Australia,” she said. “Obviously, a home Open, it’s just really nice to be up the top of the leaderboard and feel all the support from the crowd.”
Lydia Ko happy with a steady Saturday
After a rollercoaster round on Friday which saw the former world No.1 finish at 2-over-par 74, Lydia Ko was happy with her 1-under-par 71 on Saturday.
Ko, who won the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open in 2015, admitted she putted well in the second round but just couldn’t hole any mid-range putts. In the third round she was more consistent and that opened her up to more opportunities and she found she wasn’t scrambling to make pars.
Despite some big changes in the off-season, including a new caddie and coach, she feels happy with how her 2018 season has begun, just three rounds in.
“New season… it’s always nice to be able to start the season on a good note and I’ve obviously got tomorrow,” she said. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to finish this tournament off on a high note.”
Haglund wins a car after Saturday ace
Although it’s unlikely Jenny Haglund will walk away with the ultimate prize this week – she sits 1-over par through three rounds, 12 shots back of the leader – she’ll have a nice consolation prize.
Haglund, who was shaking with excitement after her round, won a car thanks to her hole-in-one on the par-3 14th on Saturday.
“I’ve never had anything like this at all. I’ve made a couple of holes-in-one before, but this is obviously the biggest and most important for me, it’s fantastic,” she said. “I just aimed right at the pin and it was just how I wanted to hit it. I started a little bit right and then drew it a bit left against the wind, which held it up a little, and then it landed and rolled and the crowd was just cheering and standing up. It was a great experience.”
The Swede used a 7-iron from 157 yards to win a 2018 Genesis G80. It was her fourth-ever ace.
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