Ko’s sub-par run ends at 29 rounds

Lydia Ko is both relieved and disappointed after she missed out on outright ownership of an LPGA Tour record by carding a second-round 73 at the year’s opening major championship.

The world No.1’s one-over score in the ANA Inspiration tournament in California meant her run of successive sub-par rounds ended at 29.

The New Zealand teenager reached that mark with her one-under 71 on the opening day to equal the record set 11 years ago by Swedish great Annika Sorenstam.

“In a way, I’m relieved that nobody is going to ask me this question again until I do that again – hopefully I can,” she said.

“But I’m more disappointed, not that I ended my streak, but the way I played today.”

Ko said she always went out trying to go under the card, but was aware only last week that she was closing in Sorenstam’s achievement.

“To tie that record with someone like Annika is pretty awesome and it’s a huge honour my name is next to hers,” she said.

Ko had an up-and-down day at Rancho Mirage, mixing five bogeys with four birdies.

The streak was still alive when she birdied the par-five 11th to go one-under for her round, but she went on to bogey the 15th and 18th holes.

That left the 17-year-old, who is bidding to become the youngest major winner in women’s golf, at even-par after 36 holes and dropped her from a tie for 10th to a share of 30th.

She said she had scrambled well, but some wayward tees shots proved costly.

“My driver was really off,” she said.

“I hit, like, one or two fairways on the front nine and you really don’t want to do that around this course.”

Ko is seven shots behind South Korean leader Sei Young Kim, who fired a 65 to be seven under.

Kim holds a two-shot lead over first-round leader Morgan Pressel of the United States, who carded a 72.

Pressel was 18 years old in 2007 when she won the tournament, then under a different name, to become the youngest female major champion.

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!