Lydia Ko, Lottie Woad Lead LPGA Event Ahead of Freezing Forecast

Overnight temperatures in Orlando will dip down to 24 degrees Sunday morning with a high of 47 for the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 4:23pm

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Lydia Ko and Lottie Woad share the lead at 8-under 136 after two rounds of the LPGA's season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando. However, a freeze watch is in effect for the area on Sunday, with temperatures expected to plummet and winds gusting up to 25 mph, leading to a reduced field for the final round.

Why it matters

The freezing forecast poses a significant challenge for the players, who will have to adapt their game plans and equipment to the harsh conditions. This could shake up the leaderboard and create an exciting finish to the tournament.

The details

Ko, the 2024 champion, and Woad, a first-time TOC participant, have separated themselves from the pack through the first two days. Overnight leader Nasa Hataoka and Amy Yang are tied for third. The final-round tee times will be pushed back considerably, and the celebrity field will be reduced from 30 to 21 players due to the weather.

  • A freeze watch is in effect for the Orlando area from 7 p.m. ET Saturday until 1 p.m. ET Sunday.
  • Overnight temperatures will dip down to 24 degrees Sunday morning with a high of 47 and winds gusting up to 25 mph.

The players

Lydia Ko

A two-time major champion and winner of the 2024 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, Ko moved inside the gates at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club around Christmas of 2019 and has been based there ever since.

Lottie Woad

A 22-year-old LPGA rookie who moved from England to Tallahassee, Florida, to play college golf at Florida State. Woad has proven her ability to handle tough weather conditions, tying for 10th as an amateur at a windy Women's British Open two years ago.

Nasa Hataoka

The overnight leader, Hataoka joined the Lake Nona community in 2019.

Amy Yang

An Orlando resident who plays out of Bay Hill, Yang is tied for third with Hataoka.

Aaron Hicks

An MLB player who shot 66 to take a two-point advantage in the Modified Stableford scoring format.

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What they’re saying

“It was important to gets off to a really good start and I feel like I put myself in that kind of position. ... it doesn't matter if you're from Chicago or Edmonton in Canada, the next couple days are going to be cold regardless.”

— Lydia Ko

“It'll be a challenge, but it'll be fun as well.”

— Lottie Woad

“I had to make sure I wasn't trying to copy the lines he was going off, because I couldn't carry any of that.”

— Lottie Woad

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This tournament will test the players' ability to adapt to extreme weather conditions, with the freezing forecast potentially shaking up the leaderboard and creating an exciting finish to the LPGA's season-opening event.