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Yuka Saso of the Philippines hits her tee shot on the 2nd gap throughout the first spherical of the Cognizant Founders Cup at Mountain Ridge Nation Membership on October 07, 2021 in West Caldwell, New Jersey. Sarah Stier/Getty Photos/AFP
South Korea’s Ko Jin-young matched her career-low spherical with an eight-under par 63 on Thursday to seize the lead when darkness halted the primary spherical of the LPGA Founders Cup.
World quantity two Ko had 9 birdies towards a lone bogey in her opening tour at Mountain Ridge Nation Membership in West Caldwell, New Jersey.
That left her three strokes forward of Germany’s Sandra Gal when darkness fell with 30 gamers nonetheless on the course. A 90-minute morning fog delayed completion of the opening spherical till Friday.
Sharing third on 67 had been top-ranked American Nelly Korda, South Koreans Amy Yang and Ryu So-yeon, Canada’s Brooke Henderson, France’s Perrine Delacour and Yuka Saso of the Philippines.
Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn had the low spherical on the course at 3-under with three holes remaining.
It was Ko’s eleventh consecutive spherical within the 60s, three shy of matching the all-time file set in 2005 by Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam.
“If I can, it’s going to be nice honor,” Ko stated of catching Sorenstam. “If not, nonetheless positive.”
Ko seeks her tenth profession LPGA title and third of the 12 months after Dallas in July and Portland final month. She simply missed out final week, settling for sharing second on the ShopRite Traditional.
“I used to be a little bit unhappy on Sunday,” Ko stated. “Nonetheless, my placing was excellent. I used to be considering don’t be unfavourable. Keep optimistic considering.
“My placing immediately was not unhealthy. I’m pleased with how I performed.”
Ko opened with back-to-back birdies and adopted a birdie on the par-3 fifth with a bogey on the sixth.
She caught fireplace with three birdies to start the again 9 and one other three in a row beginning on the par-4 14th.
Ko stated she isn’t involved about attempting to catch Korda for the highest rankings as a lot as she is attempting to remain constant.
“My aim is to suppose shot by shot, don’t have a look at the scoreboard, get four- or five-under every day and go for the win,” Ko stated.
Gal birdied the par-3 fifth and seventh holes and added birdies on the par-4 eleventh, twelfth and 14th holes.
Tokyo Olympic champion Korda had six birdies and two bogeys in her first spherical since enjoying for the US group in a Solheim Cup loss to Europe final month.
“I bought to relax,” Korda stated of her break. “I actually wanted it.”
Korda, chasing her seventh profession LPGA title, took over the world primary rating in June after successful her first main title on the Girls’s PGA Championship.
“I’m going about my enterprise the identical,” Korda stated. “I attempt to obtain targets. Ladies are nonetheless attempting to find me. I attempt to maintain my foot down on the gasoline pedal,” added Korda, the daughter of former Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda.
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