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Kim shot 69 at Lake Nona for a two-day total of
10-under 134, making six birdies and three bogeys after her
bogey-free opening round. That was good for a three-shot lead
over Linn Grant (67) and four shots better than Korda, who was
even par for the tournament through her first 22 holes but shot
6 under from there for a 67.
“There is no better tournament than this tournament to kind of
come back,” said Korda, referring to the pro-am format that
includes athletes and celebrities. “New season, it’s more
easygoing, playing with someone like Kevin Millar and (Derek)
Lowe where you’ve known them for so long. This is my sixth year
playing this event so friendships have formed.”
Lowe, a former major league pitcher, also helped out when a fan
proposed marriage to Korda.
“D Lowe shut him right down,” Korda said. “I didn’t say anything
and he was like, ‘Bud, I think that was a no.’ He was like, ‘Did
I speak out of turn?’ I was like, ‘No, that was a great
answer.’”
Korda is coming off a seven-win season that included her second
major championship.
Rio Takeda (68) and Leona Maguire (68) also were four shots
back.
Defending champion Lydia Ko, whose four wins in 2024 included an
Olympic gold medal and the Women's British Open at St. Andrews,
used a new putter in her opening-round 73. She returned last
year's putter to the bag on Friday, shot 67 and was six shots
back.
“Obviously it’s not the putter’s fault. It’s all the puttee's
fault,” Ko said. “It’s just having a difficult round on the
greens to come back to something that I’m familiar with and I
know that I’ve putted well with, was I think a good change for
me.”
Former NHL player Joe Pavelski led the celebrity leaderboard,
one point ahead of Mardy Fish. Lowe, Mark Mulder and Jeremy
Roenick were two points back.
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