Golf: Lydia Ko makes blemish-free start to Scottish Open

Lydia Ko didn't drop a shot in her opening round at the Scottish Open. Photo / AP

Lydia Ko sits just one shot off the lead after the opening round of the Scottish Open on Friday.

Ko registered an impeccable seven-under 65 on the Dundonald Links course as she returned to the clubhouse without a bogey to her name.

Instead, Ko landed seven birdies in the space of 11 holes to trail only South Korea's Hye-Jin Choi on the leaderboard.

Ko said she was pleased with the result on a course she has had her ups and downs on in the past.

"This was a course that I've played well before when it was an LET event, and then I played really, really bad when it was an LPGA event and I came here. So I had mixed emotions coming into this week," she told media following her round.

"But I played really solid. I gave myself good looks. And I think even when I made mistakes I was pretty calm about things."

The round was even more impressive given the players had to cope with a torrential downpour that affected the afternoon starters. Ko said that, overall, she's seen worse at Dundonald.

"I've played this course when it's been really, really strong winds and a hole where I hit a pitching wedge today could possibly be a long iron in or more.

"We barely had any wind, apart from that stretch when the storm came in. So I think that's why some of the scores were quite low and people were able to be a little bit more aggressive."

Ko sits in a three-way tie for second with USA's Lilia Vu and Frenchwoman Celine Boutier while Australian world number one Minjee Lee sits two shots behind on five-under.

Ko is attempting to improve on her second-place finish in 2021's version of the Scottish Open which saw the United States' Ryann O'Toole take out the title.