The LPGA Tour's season opener just got a whole lot more exciting! Two powerhouse golfers, Lydia Ko and Lottie Woad, are neck-and-neck at the top of the leaderboard after a thrilling second round at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. But here's where it gets really interesting: Ko, the 2024 champion and a Hilton Grand Vacations ambassador, is the only player in the 39-woman field to go bogey-free through two days. Talk about consistency!
Ko, hailing from New Zealand, carded a 5-under 67 on Friday, joining England's rising star Woad at 8-under 136. Woad, who shot a 69, admitted to feeling frustrated by the lack of low scores on the board, but her resilience kept her in the hunt. And this is the part most people miss: Woad's rapid rise to prominence, including her wins at the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open and the KPMG Women's Irish Open last year, makes her a serious contender to watch.
Meanwhile, Lake Nona members Nasa Hataoka and Amy Yang are hot on their heels, just one stroke back. Defending champion A Lim Kim sits at 6 under, alongside Youmin Hwang and Ingrid Lindblad. Top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda are also in the mix at 5 under, though Korda acknowledged she’ll need to fine-tune her game ahead of the weekend, especially with worsening weather conditions on the horizon.
But here’s the controversial part: Is Ko’s bogey-free streak a sign of unstoppable dominance, or is Woad’s grit and recent success enough to dethrone the seasoned champion? And let’s not forget the dark horses like Hataoka and Yang, who could easily make a move on moving day.
In the celebrity field, baseball player Aaron Hicks took the top spot, adding a touch of cross-sport excitement to the tournament.
As the weekend unfolds, one thing’s for sure: this tournament is far from over. Who do you think will come out on top? Ko, Woad, or someone else entirely? Let us know in the comments—we’re all ears!
