News
Lydia Ko birdies last six holes, shoots 29 on back nine
Scott Halleran
Lydia Ko birdied her last six holes to shoot 63, including a 29 – yes 29! – on the back nine of the Wildfire Golf Club in Phoenix during the third round of the LPGA's Bank of Hope Founders Cup.
Ko shot 68 and 69 in the first two rounds, and now sits at 16 under par, five strokes off the 54-lead lead of Anna Nordquivst.
Ko, who has changed her coach, clubs, and caddie this year, made nine birdie putts, but the putt that stood out was to save par on 12. It set off her string of birdies.
“Almost no matter how you're playing, I think it's almost more important to hole those par putts,” Ko said. “Then you're able to keep yourself [going], be steady, and when the birdie opportunity comes, you know you can putt in the more pressured positions.”
Scores have been low all week in Arizona. The cut was five under, the lowest cut in LPGA history. Rookie Nelly Korda, Jessica Korda’s younger sister, shot 64 in her third round. She, too, is at 16 under. Ko and Korda were among seven players to shoot 65 or lower on Saturday in the desert.