Lydia Ko and Lottie Woad Share Lead in Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions
ORLANDO, Fla. – In a thrilling second round at the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, Lake Nona member Lydia Ko surged to a remarkable 5-under 67, securing a tie for the lead with rising star Lottie Woad.
Standout Performances
Both players now share a two-day total of 8-under 136, with Ko showing remarkable consistency by being the only player in the 39-woman field to avoid a bogey. The Hall of Famer, boasting 23 LPGA Tour victories, attributed her success to playing smart golf.
“I’ve had to hole some good par putts, but I really haven’t put myself in that many difficult positions as of yet,” said Ko, who hails from New Zealand. “I think that’s why I had the two bogey-free rounds. I’m hoping to continue that good momentum this weekend.”
Woad, the 22-year-old English player and a former amateur champion, carded a solid 3-under 69. “I looked at the leaderboard quite a lot today because I was getting annoyed,” Woad shared. “It seemed like there weren’t that many low scores out there, so I knew I was still in it. The pins were probably a little trickier today, so there weren’t as many birdies as yesterday.”
Notable Competitors
Nasa Hataoka, also associated with Lake Nona, is close behind at 7-under, thanks to a 1-over 71. She shares this position with Amy Yang, who posted a 3-under 69.
Defending champion A Lim Kim continues to challenge, sitting at 6-under following her second consecutive round of 69. Other players at 6-under include Youmin Hwang, who excelled with a 67, and Ingrid Lindblad, who shot a 69.
Top-ranked players Jeeno Thitikul and Lexi Thompson are 5-under, with Thitikul finishing her round with a 72 and Thompson a 71. “I think the weather is going to get a little worse, so I’m going to go to the putting green and range because I wasn’t hitting it the best today,” Thompson noted. “Just going to figure some things out ahead of the weekend.”
Celebrity Roundup
In the celebrity field, baseball player Aaron Hicks is leading the pack, earning attention both on and off the course.
Leaderboard Summary
| Player | Round Score | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| Lydia Ko | 67 | -8 |
| Lottie Woad | 69 | -8 |
| Nasa Hataoka | 71 | -7 |
| Amy Yang | 69 | -7 |
| A Lim Kim | 69 | -6 |
| Youmin Hwang | 67 | -6 |
| Ingrid Lindblad | 69 | -6 |
| Jeeno Thitikul | 72 | -5 |
| Lexi Thompson | 71 | -5 |
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Ko and Woad as they aim to maintain their strong performances and vie for the championship title. Stay tuned for more updates as the LPGA Tour season kicks off in full swing.
