LOS ANGELES: Lydia Ko fired a 65 on Thursday for a two-shot lead after the opening round of the Gainbridge Championship tournament which features Annika Sorenstam playing in her first LPGA Tour event in 13 years.
The 15-time LPGA winner Ko began her round with an eagle on No. 1 and capped it with a birdie on 18 to reach seven under at the Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Florida.
New Zealand's Ko holed out from the fairway on the par-four first hole to set the tone for the round.
"I hit a really good drive and then I only had gap wedge into the green. I had my sunglasses on and I saw it bounce and kind of go forward and disappear. But there is a ridge behind, so I wasn't sure if it went over the ridge or went in. I didn't want to celebrate and then look dumb. It was a pleasant surprise to see that the ball was down at the bottom of the cup," she said.
Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Nelly Korda shot 67s to tie for second in the 120 player field that includes six of the top seven ranked players in the world.
Ko birdied the par-four 18 for her six and final birdie of the day. Her lone blemish was a bogey on No. 7. She feels like her game is rounding into shape just at the right time.
"I think this is probably my best score around here," said Ko. "Just slowly getting back into competitive mode. But I think it's a pretty tricky golf course and the greens are subtle in some areas. I think that makes it extra tricky."
Sorenstam, who calls the Lake Nona area home, created the biggest stir of the morning when she teeded off alongside major winner Anna Nordqvist and defending tournament champion Madelene Sagstrom.
The 10-time major winner Sorenstam shot a 75, the same score she recorded in her last round played in 2008 at the ADT Championship.
"Score wise I would loved to have been a little better," said the Hall of Famer. "Overall I really had a good time. I thought the course was playing beautiful out there.
"Playing with Anna and Madelene was a highlight, and to have everybody here, family and friends, just doesn't get much better than that."
Madsen and Korda both posted six birdies and one bogey in the first round.
Seven players are at four under, including world No. 1 Ko Jin-Young and two-time LPGA Tour winner, Gaby Lopez.