Lydia Ko hits a career low at LPGA Ford Championship by Wild Horse Pass

Lydia Ko delivered the best round of her LPGA golf career Thursday, firing a 12-under 60 to take an early share of the lead at the LPGA Ford Championship.

Per the official announcement, the New Zealand star opened with four straight birdies and never let up, finishing with two more birdies over her final three holes at Whirlwind Golf Club’s Cattail course.

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Ko’s round immediately put her in rare company. It marked just the ninth score of 60 or lower in LPGA history, and it came on a day when scoring across the morning wave was unusually low. Defending champion Hyo Joo Kim followed with an 11-under 61, the first time since 2003 that two players opened an LPGA event with double-digit rounds under par.

Ko began on the 10th hole and reached 12 under with birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 of her round before narrowly missing a short birdie attempt on the par-5 seventh that would have put a 59 within reach.

The 28-year-old entered her 13th LPGA season with a relatively quiet start, but Thursday felt like a reminder of why she remains one of the most recognizable players in women’s golf. Ko already owns multiple major championships and an Olympic gold medal, yet she had never posted a round lower than 61 until now. Her surge also came after a rare equipment change.

Earlier in the week, Ko swapped to a different Scotty Cameron putter model, a move she said paid off almost immediately.

“I don’t think I’ve ever actually started a round with four birdies,” Ko said afterward. “It was nice to take advantage of the good start.” She added that thoughts of becoming only the second player in LPGA history to shoot 59 briefly crossed her mind late in the round.

“That would have been nice to hole that one,” Ko said of the missed birdie putt on the seventh. “But who knows? Maybe if I holed that one I might not have holed the other two.”

Ko said the putter switch was especially surprising because she rarely changes equipment. “It’s been a while since I have tried a different model,” she said. “It just rolled good. Went in the bag on Tuesday.”

The new club helped her separate herself from a field that included Nelly Korda, who shot a 63 after holing out for eagle from the fairway, and world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, who struggled to keep pace during the afternoon wave as temperatures climbed toward 100 degrees.

The setting around the tournament only added to the spotlight. The LPGA Ford Championship by Wild Horse Pass is staged near the Gila River Resorts & Casinos at Wild Horse Pass, a sprawling destination known for its casino, nightlife, desert views and proximity to Phoenix.

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The neighboring resort and surrounding property also highlight the history and culture of the Gila River Indian Community, whose Pima and Maricopa influences are reflected throughout the area.