Lydia Ko Fires 60 for Early Lead at Ford Championship

LPGA Hall of Famer comes close to second round of 59 in tour history

Mar. 27, 2026 at 1:48am

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LPGA Hall of Famer Lydia Ko shot a 12-under-par 60 in the first round of the Ford Championship in Chandler, Arizona, putting her in the lead by one shot over South Korea's Hyo Joo Kim, who carded an 11-under 61. Nelly Korda is in third place at 9-under 63. Ko birdied four of her last five holes and narrowly missed becoming just the second player in LPGA history to shoot a round of 59.

Why it matters

Lydia Ko is a golfing legend, having won 16 LPGA titles including two major championships. Her near-historic round of 59 would have been only the second in LPGA history, after Annika Sorenstam's famous 59 in 2001. The Ford Championship is an important early-season event on the LPGA Tour, and Ko's strong start puts her in position to potentially win her 17th career title.

The details

Ko birdied each of her first four holes and rolled in 12 birdies without a bogey. Had she birdied the par-5 seventh hole, instead of settling for par, she'd be the second woman in tour history to break 60. Hyo Joo Kim, the defending champion, shot an 11-under 61 with a strong finish of birdie-eagle-birdie. Nelly Korda, the 2024 Ford Championship winner, is in third place at 9-under 63.

  • Ko shot her 12-under 60 in the first round on Thursday, March 26, 2026.
  • Annika Sorenstam shot the LPGA's first 59 in March 2001 in a tournament in Phoenix, Arizona.

The players

Lydia Ko

A Hall of Fame golfer on the LPGA Tour who has won 16 career titles, including two major championships.

Hyo Joo Kim

A South Korean golfer who is the defending champion of the Ford Championship.

Nelly Korda

An American golfer who is the World No. 2 and the 2024 winner of the Ford Championship.

Annika Sorenstam

A Swedish golfer who is the only player in LPGA history to shoot a round of 59, which she accomplished in 2001.

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What they’re saying

“I think the number 59 did cross my mind by the time I holed my birdie putt on 6 (her 15th hole), but it wasn't like … I had a lot of pressure to like break 60. It was just more like, 'Oh, it's really cool to be in this position.' I think that's my career low score.”

— Lydia Ko

“Annika is the only one that has shot 59, so any record that matches Annika's record is going to be pretty incredible.”

— Lydia Ko

“I tried playing like last year at the course, but the course conditions are quite different, so I'm just trying my best. My short game went well, so I had a low score.”

— Hyo Joo Kim

“Just try to place myself in the right spots. Sometimes these fairways get baked out. Same with the greens. So closer doesn't always mean that it's good, just because then you have a tricky pitch shot in where you can't get too much spin on it and get it to stop, so you try to lay back a little bit.”

— Nelly Korda

What’s next

The second round of the Ford Championship will take place on Friday, March 27, 2026, where Lydia Ko will look to maintain her lead and potentially become only the second player in LPGA history to shoot a round of 59.

The takeaway

Lydia Ko's near-historic round of 60 highlights her continued excellence on the LPGA Tour, as the Hall of Famer came within one shot of matching the tour's single-round scoring record. Her strong start puts her in position to potentially win her 17th career title, further cementing her legacy as one of the greatest golfers of her generation.