At 19, Lydia Ko probably isn’t old enough to recognize the classic computer game “The Oregon Trail,” but the LPGA star had the right idea when confronted with an unusual sort of water hazard at Ko Olina Golf Club on Friday.
The world’s top-ranked player was among those who forded an overflow of muddy water that resembled a flowing river bisecting the fairways of holes 6 and 7 during the third round of the Lotte Championship. Ko was undaunted as the volunteer-driven golf carts appeared close to sinking into the mud — she hopped off on the other side and wrapped up a bogey-free round of 7-under 65, bringing her to within eight shots of the lead.
“It was pretty close, I think,” said Ko, of New Zealand, who is tied for seventh. “A little more water and I don’t think it would have been possible to go over. I didn’t know what the next option is when you can’t go over. A canoe or something. Uh, but yeah, luckily it was OK and hopefully no more rain … and we’ll be able to settle down for tomorrow.”
A third straight day of downpours no doubt caused the head-turning obstacle in a low-lying area already marked as a hazard. When it came down hardest Friday, forcing a nearly one-hour stoppage of play, Ko and her playing partners Caroline Hedwall and Ally McDonald had fortuitously just finished their front nine (Ko Olina’s back nine), with Ko notching birdies on three of five before making the turn.
“It was perfect because we’d just finished our front nine and we were right by the clubhouse,” Ko said. “We were literally 20 yards from the dining area.”
When she resumed following a tasty lunch, it first appeared that she’d lost her momentum, as she parred four straight. But then came three birdies on four holes — including just after braving the water on No. 6 — capped off with a 15-plus-foot birdie putt on the par-3 No. 8.
She has plenty of work to do to turn the place into “Lydia Ko Olina” and add it to her list of conquered courses, of which there have been many. Ko has a record 14 wins before the age of 20 (which she turns on April 24).
Did Friday represent a return to form for the prodigious talent? It was certainly hard to miss her with her bright red, Sunday-Tiger-esque shirt. But she’s struggled by her lofty standards of late, putting her 77 straight weeks atop of the Rolex Rankings in jeopardy.
Two players within reach of knocking her off for world No. 1, So Yeon Ryu and Ariya Jutanugarn, are one and two shots ahead of her, respectively, entering today’s final round.
Ko was 24-for-24 in cuts made in 2016, but faltered at the Kia Classic on March 23, her first missed cut since the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on June 11, 2015 — breaking a streak of 40 paydays.
She came back two weeks ago with a T-11th finish at the ANA Inspiration, the first major of the year.
Ko was 1 over after the first round here, tied for 86th, after opening with three bogeys on her first 12 holes.
Since then, she’s been bogey free over the past 42.
“I hit it a little better (Friday) than in the last couple days,” Ko said. “I gave myself a few more looks for birdies. And I was able to hole in some longer putts in my front nine. … When you get to hole those putts that you don’t necessarily think they are birdie range, then it’s always good. Kind of a bonus. I was able to make up-and-downs off the green. So it was a very good combination and nice to be able to shoot a low one.”
Ko’s best finish here to date was a tie for ninth in 2013, when she was still an amateur. Since turning pro, she was T-32nd in 2014 and T-23rd in 2016.
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