Lydia Ko was all smiles after her opening-round 66 at the LPGA's Tournament of Champions yesterday but it wasn't only her performance on the course that had her in a good mood.
Ko relished the opportunity to play alongside baseball legends Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez and AJ Pierzynski during the first round of the inaugural pro-am event.
After signing her scorecard, Ko posed for photos with the pair and said the light-hearted nature of the event allowed her to calm her nerves. The results show on the leaderboard, as Ko sits just one stroke off the lead after holing a succession of long putts.
"I think it's hands down my favourite, the best pairing I've ever been in," Ko said. "Ever since No1, Ivan and AJ were so amazing. They were like, I don't want to get in your way, and I'm like, no, I don't want to get in your way. It was just so much fun, just with the whole set-up here, it's definitely a really unique event for us."
Ko was one shot behind Brooke Henderson and Eun-Hee Ji tied for third alongside long-time rival Stacy Lewis, back on tour three months after becoming a mother, and six months after she last played on tour. She opened with seven birdies.
