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“If I’ve the trophy, I’ve all of the trophies or I haven’t got any trophy…I simply wish to have a very good week. These alternatives do not come round fairly often. I wish to attempt to reap the benefits of them when they’re there” – Lydia Ko, who leads the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship by one shot

Lydia Ko started her quest for the largest prize in ladies’s golf historical past by hitting a tree and bogeying a par 5, however the remainder of Thursday’s LPGA CME Group Tour Championship could not have gone higher.

New Zealander Ko responded with eight birdies, together with 4 in a row late within the spherical at Tiburon Golf Membership, sending her to a 7-under 65 and a one-shot lead within the LPGA Tour season finale.

The stakes are excessive this week, even past the $2 million prize for the winner.

Ko has a one-point lead within the race for LPGA Tour participant of the 12 months whereas trying poised to win the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring common. Each are price one level of their bid to qualify for the LPGA Corridor of Fame.

“If I’ve the trophy, I’ve all of the trophies or no trophy… I simply wish to have a very good week,” Ko mentioned. “These alternatives do not come round fairly often. I wish to attempt to take them once they’re there.”

All is nicely in opposition to Ko, who has two wins in what he considers his most constant 12 months on the LPGA Tour. And simply behind there are lots of challengers.

Thailand’s Danielle Kang and Pajaree Anannarukarn are simply behind Ko after scoring 66, Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh and South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim shot 67 and Nelly Korda and Brooke Henderson have been within the pack with 68.

Korda missed 4 months earlier this 12 months resulting from surgical procedure for a blood clot in his left arm. She’s lastly received her full energy again, and her victory final week on the coast at Pelican Golf Membership allowed her to return to No. 1 within the ladies’s world rankings.

Henderson needed to withdraw final week with again ache, and the Canadian wasn’t even certain she may play. However she made an adjustment to her swing, and that allowed her to get round Tiburon with a good 68.

Henderson has an out of doors shot at participant of the 12 months, although she must win and have Ko and Minjee Lee end third or worse.

Lee, who already set an LPGA Tour document with $3.7 million in earnings this season, opened with a 71. Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul, the 19-year-old who peaked at No. 1 on the earth till Korda recaptured it, had a 73. .

Ko may solely snort at his begin to the match by hitting a tree.

“It is nearly like I’ve two tee photographs,” he mentioned. “Despite the fact that I bogeyed a par 5, I knew quite a lot of holes have been going to be performed downwind. I attempted to not get too pissed off. The primary 4 holes upwind are a beast. I knew if I may hold in there and be affected person, there could be loads of alternatives.” .

“I used to be in a position to catch quite a lot of them on the again 9.”

And that began with a pair. She was fast with a chip from the thirteenth inexperienced and he or she noticed him run about 12 toes down the outlet. Ko putt for par, and he or she was on the go, making 4 straight birdies. She helped make two par 5.

Korda gave up a straightforward birdie likelihood on the par-five of the seventeenth when he drove it up to now that he solely had 159 yards remaining. However she fell too brief and could not rise up and down. That was a product of what she known as being fooled too typically on the finish.

Korda had an opportunity to win each award final 12 months till Jin Younger Ko beat her, making it the third consecutive 12 months the South Korean star has gained on Tiburon.

Doing it 4 in a row will likely be troublesome. Jin Younger Ko opened with a 72 as he continues to take care of a sore left wrist.

Watch the CME Group Tour Championship all week reside on Sky Sports activities. Dwell protection continues on Friday from 7pm reside on Sky Sports activities Golf and, freed from cost, on the Sky Sports activities Golf YouTube channel.