LPGA Tournament of Champions: Dame Lydia Ko in title contention after bogey-free third round

Dame Lydia Ko is in contention at the LPGA Tournament of Champions. Photo / Getty Images

Dame Lydia Ko abandoned a putting experiment during the opening 2025 LPGA tournament, and the result was dramatic.

Ko is having a terrific start to the season in Florida, where she is in contention to win the mix-and-match Tournament of Champions.

Defending champion Ko, world No 2 behind Nelly Korda, was in stunning form during the third round on her home course at Lake Nona – where she lives next to the second fairway – finishing with a seven-under-par 65, her second bogey-free round in as many days.

She will go into the final round in third place alongside Korda, who finished with a birdie blitz. They are four shots behind leader A Lim Kim of South Korea and one behind Sweden’s Linn Grant, who is seeking just her second LPGA title.

This opening LPGA tournament includes sports stars and celebrities.

Playing alongside NFL veteran Adam Thielen and 15-year-old American golf prospect Asterisk Talley, the Hall of Fame Kiwi shot her seven-under 65 figure in the round of the day.

Twenty-seven-year-old Ko had a tough start to the US$3.5 million ($6.2m) tournament but found form after the opening round, helped by replacing a new putter with the one that was central to her brilliant 2024 year.

During the first round, Ko said she found herself missing putts from parts of the green where she usually had success, and decided to go back to the trusted blade.

It remains to be seen if she gambles with a new putter again or decides to stick with an old friend.

Kim, Grant and Ko will make up the final group.

South Korea’s Kim, the world No 55, has set a hot pace in Orlando. An often-smiling Kim looked relaxed and confident, and at times played up to the crowd.

Kim has had a couple of wins, including the 2020 US Open, but lacks the proven ability under pressure of Ko and Korda. And Kim did falter a little at times in round three, relying on outstanding rescue shots which included holing twice from bunkers. She also finished the third round on a low, with her only bogey of the day, to lead at 15-under.

Ko said she loved the celebrity format, which enabled her to play “without really thinking about the consequences”.

And it has given her an encouraging launchpad for 2025, with Ko saying regardless of whether she wins or not: “It’s been a great week.”

The contending celebrity players include veteran soap opera actor and musician Jack Wagner, aged 65.