Gainbridge LPGA R1

February 25-28
Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, Orlando, Florida
$2,000,000
Round 2, Round 3, Round 4

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Lydia Ko kicked off the tournament on her home course with an eagle on the first hole and made six birdies and a single bogey on the par-4 7th for a 7-under 65 to take a two-shot lead.

“I hit a really good drive and then I only had gap wedge into the green. I had my sunglasses on and I saw it bounce and kind of go forward and disappear. But there is a ridge behind, so I wasn’t sure if it went over the ridge or went in. I didn’t want to celebrate and then look dumb and the ball is like 30 feet long,” said Ko. “I was a pleasant surprise to see that the ball was down at the bottom of the cup.”

“I think this is probably my best score around here. Normally when I’m playing I don’t really count everything. The last few rounds I played with a few other players just before this week, so I kind of took my score, because you kind of have to get used to making sure that every shot counts. I think sometimes when you’re out there practicing, and especially by myself, you know that you can hit a second shot if you miss-hit one so you don’t focus as much. So it was nice with those few rounds coming in and playing with other players just slowly getting back into competitive mode. But I think it’s a pretty tricky golf course and the greens are subtle in some areas. I think that makes it extra tricky.”

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Annika Sorenstam, who also calls Lake Nona home and insists she is only making an appearance and not a comeback, teed off for the first time in 4,479 days, alongside major winner Anna Nordqvist and defending champion Madelene Sagstrom. The LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame member made four straight pars to start the day, but made the turn at 3-over after a triple bogey on the par-4 5th.

“Score-wise I would loved to have it been a little better. You know, if I look at it objectively it’s one hole that really messed it up. I was trying to get back at it, but I can’t remember the last time I had a triple or hit it out of bounds. So that certainly put a damper in the round,” said Sorenstam.

“Overall I really had a good time. I thought the course was playing beautiful out there. Playing with Anna and Madelene was a highlight, and to have everybody here, family and friends, just doesn’t get much better than that.”

Sorenstam made one more bogey at the par-4 10th, then an incredible wedge shot at the 14th leading to her only birdie of the day.

“I was pleased. I took the driver there. I’m not as long as I used to, but I was aggressive I think off the tee and gave me a good chance for birdie there.”

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She finished with a 75, the same score she recorded in her last round played in 2008 at the ADT Championship.

“I’m in a different place with my game. But it’s also fun. When I talk to friends about this and they say, ‘Well, this is how golf is for all of us’. Well, it never was for me. It was relaxing and I felt confident out there,” said Sorenstam. “Today it’s a little bit of a rollercoaster up and down and it makes you stay on your toes a little bit more than it used to.”

Nelly Korda and Nanna Koerstz Madsen sit two shots behind the leader after both shot six birdies and one bogey. Behind them lie seven players tied at 4-under, including World No. 1 Jin Young Ko and two-time LPGA Tour winner, Gaby Lopez.

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Lopez, who played a round with Annika in the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in January, was excited after Sorenstam gave her advice in a practice round before the opening round.

“You can see that her short game; putting is still on. That’s something that she has in her veins and is going to shine forever,” said Lopez. “She said that she’s probably not hitting it as far or straight as she was before, but at the end of the day, I’m going to say it again: She’s my superhero. Her and Lorena are probably why I’m here. Being able to share this with them, with her specifically, is just unbelievable.”

Defending champion Sagstrom finished the first day at 5-over, after three bogeys and two double bogeys in her last four holes.

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Pos.	Player	To Par	R1
1	Lydia Ko	-7	65
T2	Nanna Koerstz Madsen	-5	67
T2	Nelly Korda	-5	67
T4	Nicole Broch Larsen	-4	68
T4	Megan Khang	-4	68
T4	Jin Young Ko	-4	68
T4	Jennifer Kupcho	-4	68
T4	Xiyu Lin	-4	68
T4	Gaby Lopez	-4	68
T4	Ryann O’Toole	-4	68
T11	Chella Choi	-3	69
T11	In Gee Chun	-3	69
T11	Brittany Lincicome	-3	69
T11	Leona Maguire	-3	69
T11	Marissa Steen	-3	69
T11	Patty Tavatanakit	-3	69
T17	Pajaree Anannarukarn	-2	70
T17	Lindy Duncan	-2	70
T17	Nasa Hataoka	-2	70
T17	Sarah Kemp	-2	70
T17	Cristie Kerr	-2	70
T17	Andrea Lee	-2	70
T17	Jeongeun Lee6	-2	70
T17	Amy Olson	-2	70
T17	Sophia Popov	-2	70
T17	Morgan Pressel	-2	70
T17	Mariah Stackhouse	-2	70
T17	Jasmine Suwannapura	-2	70
T29	Ashleigh Buhai	-1	71
T29	Brooke M. Henderson	-1	71
T29	Charley Hull	-1	71
T29	Jessica Korda	-1	71
T29	Stacy Lewis	-1	71
T29	Pernilla Lindberg	-1	71
T29	Mel Reid	-1	71
T29	Jenny Shin	-1	71
T29	Lauren Stephenson	-1	71
T29	Lexi Thompson	-1	71
T29	Albane Valenzuela	-1	71
T29	Lindsey Weaver	-1	71
T41	Jennifer Chang	E	72
T41	Ally Ewing	E	72
T41	Georgia Hall	E	72
T41	Sei Young Kim	E	72
T41	Katherine Kirk	E	72
T41	Yealimi Noh	E	72
T41	Anna Nordqvist	E	72
T41	Sarah Schmelzel	E	72
T41	Alena Sharp	E	72
T41	Jing Yan	E	72
T41	Amy Yang	E	72
T41	Angel Yin	E	72
T53	Brittany Altomare	1	73
T53	Daniela Darquea	1	73
T53	Perrine Delacour	1	73
T53	Caroline Inglis	1	73
T53	Haeji Kang	1	73
T53	Danielle Kang	1	73
T53	Cheyenne Knight	1	73
T53	Bronte Law	1	73
T53	Yu Liu	1	73
T53	Gabriela Ruffels (a)	1	73
T53	Angela Stanford	1	73
T53	Linnea Strom	1	73
T53	Maria Torres	1	73
T53	Anne van Dam	1	73
T67	Aditi Ashok	2	74
T67	Celine Boutier	2	74
T67	Ssu-Chia Cheng	2	74
T67	Jaye Marie Green	2	74
T67	Dani Holmqvist	2	74
T67	Mi Jung Hur	2	74
T67	Caroline Masson	2	74
T67	Annie Park	2	74
T67	Pornanong Phatlum	2	74
T67	Lizette Salas	2	74
Projected Cut: ( +2 )
T77	Na Yeon Choi	3	75
T77	Carlota Ciganda	3	75
T77	Jenny Coleman	3	75
T77	Laura Davies	3	75
T77	Austin Ernst	3	75
T77	Dana Finkelstein	3	75
T77	Kristen Gillman	3	75
T77	Wei-Ling Hsu	3	75
T77	Eun-Hee Ji	3	75
T77	Brittany Lang	3	75
T77	Jaclyn Lee	3	75
T77	Wichanee Meechai	3	75
T77	Azahara Munoz	3	75
T77	Liz Nagel	3	75
T77	Jane Park	3	75
T77	Sung Hyun Park	3	75
T77	Hee Young Park	3	75
T77	Katherine Perry-Hamski	3	75
T77	Sarah Jane Smith	3	75
T77	Annika Sorenstam	3	75
T77	Elizabeth Szokol	3	75
T98	Muni He	4	76
T98	Caroline Hedwall	4	76
T98	Esther Lee	4	76
T98	Jeong Eun Lee	4	76
T98	Stephanie Meadow	4	76
T98	Giulia Molinaro	4	76
T98	Haley Moore	4	76
T98	Mind Muangkhumsakul	4	76
T98	Robynn Ree	4	76
T98	Jennifer Song	4	76
T98	Emma Talley	4	76
T98	Alana Uriell	4	76
T110	Sandra Gal	5	77
T110	Tiffany Joh	5	77
T110	Gerina Piller	5	77
T110	Madelene Sagstrom	5	77
T110	Jackie Stoelting	5	77
T115	Cydney Clanton	6	78
T115	Haru Nomura	6	78
117	Maria Fassi	7	79
T118	Jillian Hollis	8	80
T118	Alexa Pano (a)	8	80
120	Yani Tseng	9	81