Lydia Ko gets under par in 29 consecutive rounds to tie as No. 1

Lydia Ko gets under par in 29 consecutive rounds to tie as No. 1. April. 04, 2015 07:18. uni@donga.com.

Song Ho, president of Song Ho Golf Club who designed more than 50 golf clubs in Korea and overseas, has a dream. His dream is to play under par at least once in his life. Despite being an expert in golf courses who boasts single handy cap, he has yet to overcome the barrier of playing "under par." The 58-year-old’s best ever performance was even par.

Nevertheless, under pars seem to be undisputed norm for Lydia Ko, a teenage Korean-New Zealander golfer.

World No. 1 Lydia Ko is now tying as a golfer who has played under par in more consecutive rounds than any others in the LPGA tour.

Ko has secured her 29th consecutive round under par on Friday by playing one under 71 after garnering five buddies and one bogey in the first round of the ANA Inspirational, this season’s first major tournament, at Mission Hills Country Club (72 pars, 6,769 yards) in Rancho Mirage, California. Having played under pars in all the rounds from the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship last year, to the first round of the ANA championship, Ko is now tying with Annika Sorenstam`s record for consecutive LPGA Tour rounds under par in 2004.

Teeing off as a member of morning player group local time on the day, Ko struggled due to gusty winds in the first half when she started at the 10th hole. She garnered three birdies but committed four bogeys to end the first half with one over par. In the second half, she was able to achieve even par by posting a birdie in the second tee, but setting even par appeared to be an elusive goal.

She faced the biggest crisis at the seventh tee (par 4), her 16th hole of the day. Her tee shot went through small trees. She was only able to see the ball through a tiny gap, but she passed the ball through the trees by hitting a low hook shot, managed to garner two on and stayed at par. Soon after, she placed her tee shot at just 40 centimeters off the hole at the eighth tee (par 3) to achieve the milestone.

LPGA’s website said, “If Ko has a greatest asset in a game seemingly free of weaknesses, it may be her mind.”

After the game, the 17-year-old said, “Today I was so busy trying to make up-and-downs, or trying to make a good two-putt or make some birdies, because I really wasn’t hitting my driver well, and here the rough can get pretty thick.” Tying for 10th with one under 71 pars, she will open a new chapter in the history of LPGA if she manages to play under par in the second round of the championship on Friday