New Zealand golf star Lydia Ko has shrugged off the spotlight being placed on more changes to her support team to produce a strong opening round in her first LPGA Tour event of 2018.
Lydia Ko with new caddie Jonny Scott at the 2018 Women's Australian Open. Photo: Photosport
Ko, who has attracted headlines this week after it was confirmed she had again changed both her coach and caddie, fired a four-under par 68 to be in a tie for third at the Women's Australian Open in Adelaide.
The world No 10 was three shots behind leader Jin Young Ko of South Korea, who held a two-shot buffer from countrywoman Jiyai Shin.
Ko was one of 10 players at four-under.
Coming into the event after a winless 2017, perhaps unsurprisingly the 20-year-old from Auckland's North Shore appeared unflustered with all the talk about more changes around her as she went about her work on course.
Ko was bogey free on the day, nailing three birdies on her opening nine to make the turn in three-under 32 before picking up another shot on her run to the clubhouse to come home in one-under 36.
The two-time major winner was solid enough off the tee, hitting 10 of 14 fairways, and scrambled well when she needed to, hitting only 11 of 18 greens but making three successful saves from the sand.
Ko's team confirmed in the lead-up to the tournament she had begun working under new coach Ted Oh, a former professional player who made six starts on the PGA Tour.
It ends a year-long partnership with leading South African coach Gary Gilchrist.
It was also confirmed Ko would have Jonny Scott on her bag for the event, taking the New Zealander to 11 caddies since she turned professional in 2013.
"I'm trying to make the decisions where I think it's the best for me in my career," Ko told AAP after her opening round.
"Sometimes, I think 'hey, maybe I shouldn't have done that'. But I feel like I made the right decisions.
"All I can do ... is do what I think is best for me and, sometimes, not everybody is going to agree."
"There's lots of golf to be played but I'm happy with where I am sitting."
Ko's second round is scheduled to start at 12.34pm on Friday.
- RNZ
