“Just trust and be committed to my game.”

Those are the words Sean Foley advised pupil Lydia Ko with heading into Thursday of the LOTTE Championship, as a coach and friend to the 15-time LPGA Tour winner and major champion. The advice rang true for Ko, as she followed up her first-round 67 with a second-round 63. The score is one off her career-low, which she had tied just two weeks prior on the last day of the ANA Inspiration. The round is one-stroke better than Nancy Scranton’s 18-hole record back in 2001 (64), when Kapolei Golf Club hosted the Cup Noodles Hawaiian Ladies Open between 1996-2001.

“I started off well birdieing my first two holes, and then I think I just continuously gave myself opportunities. Especially around a golf course like this, the more times you're putting for birdie or having chances to putt for birdie the better,” said Ko, who carded nine birdies in her bogey-free effort. “Especially when the winds come, I think it's a course where some players can go really low. So feel like I was able to do a pretty good job at that, and nice finishing off with a birdie on the last.”

Ko has carded only two bogeys in her past 72 holes, dating back to the third round of the ANA Inspiration. With time to reflect on her record-setting effort at the season’s first major championship, Ko said the 62 was a confidence boost she hoped would carry into the Tour’s stop in Hawaii.

“Coming into this week obviously coming off the really, you know, the best round in a really long time, I kind of didn't know what to expect. Obviously you feel like your game is moving in the right direction but you don't want to kind of slack off. Having a good round under my belt yesterday definitely helped. This is a golf course where especially when the wind is down it's pretty gettable,” said Ko. “I think Dave (Jones) and I were able to do a pretty good job of that. Hopefully kind of stick to my course management and plan for the rest of the -- not weekend, but the next two days.”

Lydia Ko Continues Streak of Strong Play

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