Lydia Ko set to miss cut at first major of the year

Lydia Ko. Photo / AP

Lydia Ko’s major drought looks set to continue, with the world No 1 likely to miss the cut at the first major of the year.

Ko sits at three-over at the Chevron Championship, two shots outside the cut line with two holes to play when the rain-delayed second round was suspended.

The previous 16 holes had not been good, with three bogies and a double-bogey on seven on the par-five fourth only offset by one birdie to see her at four-over for the round and slumping into a share of 78th.

Ko, who hasn’t won a major since 2016, was installed as the favourite for the opening major but instead looks set to miss the cut for the first time in a major since 2019.

A Lim Kim birdied the final two holes for a seven-under 65 to lead at eight-under at the Championship held in Texas.

Kim won the last LPGA Tour major held in the Houston area, the 2020 US Open, and after opening with a 71, she had eight birdies with just one bogey yesterday.

Americans Lilia Vu and Megan Khang were tied for second, a stroke behind. Khang shot a 67, and Vu had a 69.

Vu was great on the front nine with four birdies. She struggled some after that, with three bogeys on the back nine. Khang had five birdies without a bogey, finishing just minutes before play was suspended because of darkness.

“I’m super thrilled,” Khang said. “Coming down the stretch in the dark, nine was kind of a little tricky chip.”

Vu is looking to second victory of her career after the LPGA Thailand in February. Vu, who didn’t make the cut at this event last year, believes she’s grown a lot and is now better equipped to deal with adversity.

“I try to remind myself that it’s a really tough week,” she said. “Everybody is going to make mistakes. It’s just how I come back from it, and then just try and make birdie the next hole and just let it go. It takes a lot out of me.”

Former major winners Patty Tavatanakit and Nelly Korda were tied for fourth at six-under. Tavatanakit had seven birdies, including on the last two holes to shoot a 67. World No. 2 Korda had five birdies and three bogeys in a 70.

Korda was disappointed that she missed some putts in the second round.

“You try to minimise your mistakes as much as possible,” she said. “I was punching the air a couple times after my two three-putts, which those are kind of stupid mistakes, but you just kind of have to stay mentally tough and know that there are some birdie opportunities, as well.”

Korda is fully healthy after missing four months and a lot of momentum last year with a blood clot in her arm that required surgery. She said the rain drastically changed the way the course played.

“It was very wet out there, a lot of mud balls, and the greens were really soft as well,” she said. “Two rounds and two kind of completely different golf courses, so it was fun.”

Tavatanakit, who is from Thailand and won the event in 2021, said it’s odd to be playing this tournament in Texas.

“It just feels like it’s a new major, it’s a new course, so I treat it a little differently,” she said. “Everything is just fresh.”

- With AP