Dame Lydia Ko carded an even-par 71 to open the Chevron Championship, the first major of the 2026 LPGA season.
Ko, who won the tournament 10 years ago, sits seven shots off the pace with world number two Nelly Korda surging ahead late at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston.
The Kiwi opened with a birdie at the first before dropping a shot at the par-four fourth. Another bogey at the 13th saw her move to one-over before a birdie at the par three 15th got her back to even.
Ko’s playing partner, Patty Tavatanakit, the 2021 champion, held the early lead with South Korea’s Somi Lee at five-under. Korda started her round in the afternoon and hit the front with five birdies on the back nine.
Meanwhile, at the DP World Tour’s China Open, NZ Open champion Daniel Hillier opened with a three-under 68 while Kazuma Kobori shot a 69 at Shanghai Enhance Anting GC.
Spain’s Alejandro Del Rey leads after an impressive 10-under 61, which included six birdies on the front nine, followed by an eagle that saw him eight-under through 10 but hopes of breaking 60 went when he bogeyed the 14th, before finishing birdie-birdie.
