Lydia Ko authored one of the most spectacular opening rounds in LPGA Tour history Thursday, firing a 12-under 60 at Whirlwind Golf Club's Cattail course to seize control of the Ford Championship. The New Zealand phenom's masterpiece – featuring 12 birdies without a single bogey – marked just the ninth sub-60 round in tour annals and shattered her previous career low of 62 set at the 2016 LOTTE Championship.
Ko's historic performance began with an unprecedented burst of four consecutive birdies from the opening hole, setting the tone for a day where she hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation and needed just 23 putts. "I don't think I've ever actually started a round with four birdies, so it was nice to take advantage of the good start and continue that on my back nine," said the 26-year-old, who has built an impressive career highlighted by multiple LPGA Tour victories and two major championships. "I feel like I stayed patient and was rolling it really well."
The two-time LPGA Player of the Year found herself in rare company, joining golf luminaries Annika Sorenstam (2001), Paula Creamer (2008) and Anna Acker-Macosko (2004) as the only players to break 60 in tour history. Ko's round could have been even more remarkable – she reached 14-under through 15 holes before parring the final three, including a 7-foot birdie miss on the par-3 16th that would have put her on 59 watch. "That would have been nice to hole that one," Ko reflected. "But who knows? Birdied some other ones that I didn't expect, so kind of just evens out."
Defending champion Hyo Joo Kim nearly matched Ko's brilliance with an 11-under 61 that featured a back-nine 28 and a spectacular eagle hole-out from 100 yards on the par-4 eighth. Their dual assault on the course created the first instance of two players shooting double-digit under par in an opening round since Se Ri Pak and Karrie Webb both posted 10-under 62s at the 2003 Welch's/Fry's Championship.
Ko credited a recent putter switch to a Scotty Cameron 12 model for her improved performance on the greens. "It's been a while since I have tried a different model," said Ko, who ranked second in the field with +4.5 strokes gained putting. "This has only been one round but it's a good start. You know, really couldn't have been any better."
Lurking three shots back is Nelly Korda, who continued her strong early-season form with a 9-under 63 that included a hole-out eagle on the 18th. The Olympic gold medalist has already notched two top-10 finishes this season and appears poised to challenge for her first win since 2022.
The morning wave dominated scoring before afternoon temperatures neared 100 degrees, creating vastly different conditions. World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul managed just a 2-under 70 in the tougher conditions, leaving her eight shots off the pace. The scoring average for morning players (69.1) was nearly three strokes better than the afternoon wave (71.9), setting up an intriguing second-round dynamic as players will flip tee times Friday.
Ko's performance marks a potential turning point for the former prodigy who became the youngest ever winner of a professional golf tournament at age 14. After struggling with her form in recent years and falling outside the top 50 in the world rankings, she's shown signs of resurgence in 2023 with three top-10 finishes. A victory this week would be her first since the 2022 CME Group Tour Championship and could propel her back into the upper echelon of women's golf.
With Kim's proven closing ability – she's converted 5 of 7 career 54-hole leads – and Korda's pedigree as a seven-time winner, Ko faces stiff competition to maintain her advantage. The Ford Championship's birdie-friendly setup suggests more low scores are possible, particularly for those with early tee times. As Ko seeks to convert her historic start into a long-awaited 20th career victory, the stage is set for a weekend shootout in the Arizona desert.
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*Originally published on [golfnews.global](https://golfnews.global/article/lydia-ko-storms-to-ford-championship-lead-after-historic-60).*
