Lydia Ko in danger of missing LPGA cut for first time in North Texas Shoot-out

 

SKY SPORTS.COM

Juli Inkster surged into a three-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the North Texas Shoot-out on Thursday.

Inkster compiled six birdies to join fellow Americans Cristie Kerr and Sydnee Michaels at five-under-par 66 at the Las Colinas Country Club in Irving.

But it was a dismal day for world No 1, Lydia Ko, as the 18-year-old stumbled to a four-over 75 and. tied 118th overnight, is in danger of missing a LPGA cut for the first time.
Ko, who last Sunday posted her seventh LPGA victory, was cruising along at two-under until she dropped six shots in a three-hole stretch, with a triple bogey - where she lost a ball in a tree - followed by a double and then a bogey.
The Kiwi will donate any prize money accrued this week to the Nepal earthquake relief fund, but will need a strong second round simply to make the cut.
Inkster, who won the first of her 31 LPGA titles almost 14 years before Ko was born, ran into a bit of form with a tie for 15th last week, and stepped it up a gear on Thursday.
The 54-year-old will captain the USA Solheim Cup team that will play Europe in September, and she did some bonding by taking several of her likely team members to dinner with the former US President George W Bush earlier in the week.
"It was probably one of the top three things I ever did, just listening to him, the stories and how passionate he is about the United States, the respect he has for the people over there fighting for freedom and stuff like that," Inkster said.
"I just had a great time, and everybody got on that bus when we were going home, I could see it in their eyes that they also felt that it was a really special occasion, something that you maybe only get to do once in your lifetime." 

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