Lydia Ko surges into LPGA contention while Ryan Fox left chasing after poor start to Truist Championship

Ryan Fox hits a tee shot on the third hole during the first round of the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club in North Carolina. Photo / AFP

Lydia Ko sits in a share of second after a hot start to the latest LPGA Tour event in New Jersey.

Ko had an eagle and five birdies to go along with two bogeys in an opening round 67 at Mountain Ridge Country Club.

American Andrea Lee leads after a first round 66 with Ko and defending champion Jeeno Thitikul a shot back at five under.

Ko’s last LPGA victory was at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in March last year. She’s coming off a missed cut at the Chevron Championship last month, the opening major of the LPGA Tour season.

On the PGA Tour, Ryan Fox was at the opposite end of the leaderboard at the Truist Championship, the latest signature event.

At the Quail Hollow Club course in North Carolina, where Fox started strongly at last year’s PGA Championship, he struggled early with three bogeys. A birdie at the eighth saw him pick up a shot before a double-bogey six at the par-four ninth led to a four-over 39 on the front nine.

He bounced back with two late birdies to sit at two over in a share of 52nd before bad light suspended play with the Kiwi on the 17th green.

American Matt McCarty leads by one after an eight-under 63.

On the DP World Tour, Kazuma Kobori shot a one-under 71 at the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship in Barcelona, seven shots behind leader Shaun Norris.

Daniel Hillier is taking the week off as he prepares for his maiden PGA Championship appearance next week at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania.