Golf: Lacklustre starts for Lydia Ko and Danny Lee

Lydia Ko. Photo / Getty

Leading Kiwi golfers Lydia Ko and Danny Lee have both made forgettable starts to their latest tournaments in the United States.

Ko was in a tie for 102nd when darkness halted play at the Founders Cup in Phoenix, Arizona after opening with a two-over 74 on Friday (NZT).

An inconsistent round at the Wildfire Golf Club featured an early birdie followed by a string of four bogeys in the space of five holes before the turn.

Birdies on 10 and 11 were followed by a bogey on the 13th hole as Ko struggled with the accuracy of her long game, hitting just seven of 14 greens in regulation.

The 20-year-old is seven shots behind co-leaders Chella Choi (Korea) and Karine Icher (France).

Former world No.1 Ko had made a solid start to the season, recording 19th, 31st and 10th in her first three appearances.

Now ranked 12th in the world, she sat 25th on the Tour's season points ratings before this week.

Meanwhile, Lee's difficulties on the PGA Tour continued as he shot a four-over 76 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida.

Sharing 104th place, he faces a struggle to make the cut, let alone reel in a star-studded leading pack headed by 64 from Swede Henrik Stenson.

Lee has made the cut just once in his last eight tournaments, resulting in his world ranking plunging outside the top 150.

-NZN