It was only a matter of time before world No. 1 Jin Young Ko got back on track and that time came during Friday’s second round at the Women’s L.A. Open.
Ko shot a blazing seven-under par 64 that got her to seven-under par and tied her for the 36-hole lead with Nasa Hataoka.
“My putting was so good today,” Ko said. “I wasn’t expecting to play really well today because in the afternoon it’s always hard to play this course. But my putting was good, so I’m happy with it.”
Temperatures were cool and there was just enough breeze to make the Wilshire Country Club its usual challenging self.
Ko stumbled with a bogey at the ninth but got things going on the final nine. She birdies four straight starting at the 11th hole. “I didn’t think I played five-under on the back nine,” Ko said. “I didn’t know that. I was in the zone.”
Hataoka made her own birdie run to finish her day with three straight at 16, 17 and 18.
“The wind was pretty strong,” Hayaoka said. “The greens are pretty tight, narrow. So my plan was to hit the green, not try to be too aggressive. On the back nine, the wind kind of got weaker, so I was able to hit at the pin.”
Hannah Green was third at five-under par after a bogey-free 67. “I’m very pleased,” Green said. “I guess today’s round kind of felt like even more under par than what it was. I was pretty solid with my putting all day today which was nice because yesterday I had a couple three-putts.”
