Lydia Ko’s struggles continue with two-over 74 start at Women’s British Open
Lydia Ko’s struggles this season show no signs of abating, after a poor start to the year’s final major – the British Open – on Friday (NZ time).The Kiwi world No 5 has not registered a top-30 finish on the LPGA in her past 10 tournaments, dating back to a sixth-placed finish in her season-opening event in Thailand in February.
As for the majors, where she hasn’t tasted success since 2016, it’s been a missed cut, ties for 57th, 33rd and 61st. And her 10-year streak of notching top-10 major finishes now looks in jeopardy, thanks to a two-over 74 start at the Walton Heath Old Course in Surrey, which has her half a dozen shots off the pace, in a tie for 81st.
Ko needed just 28 putts for her round, but hit just seven of 15 fairways, and nine greens in regulation, with her round blotted by a double-bogey at the par-four 10th. Bogeying her first hole was not the ideal start, though she picked up shots at seven and eight to get back on track, then it was something of a rollercoaster. After that six on No 10 she went birdie, bogey, birdie, par, bogey, par, bogey to close out her round.
American Ally Ewing leads at four-under, with a one shot lead over five other players.
