Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass Round 1

Date
Thu 26th March 2026 (UTC)
Thu 26th March 2026 (Local)

Timestamp
2026-03-26T14:15:00

Time

14:15:00 UTC (07:15:00 Local)

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League
LPGA Tour

Season
2026

Round
6

Status
Match Finished

Location
Whirlwind Golf Club

Video Highlights

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Description

The LPGA Tour returned to the Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Arizona, for the second edition of the Ford Championship. The primary challenge for the 144-player field was navigating the expansive desert layout, which features generous fairways but demands precise approach shots to avoid the complex bunkering surrounding the greens. For Hyo Joo Kim, the objective was to initiate a strong title defense on a course where she claimed a victory in 2024, while world number one Nelly Korda sought to continue her historic run of form.

Strategically, Round 1 was a battle of the "morning wave." The objective for the early starters was to capitalize on the soft greens and calm desert air before the typical afternoon winds began to gust across the Gila River Indian Community land. With the par-5s playing reachable for the long hitters, the tactical priority for the field was to maximize scoring early in the round. As play began, the goal for many was to match the "explosive" scoring pace expected on a course known for yielding low numbers when the conditions remain favorable.

Reports

Result List

Result Description

Lydia Ko delivered one of the most remarkable rounds in recent LPGA history, carding a spectacular 12-under 60 to take a commanding lead after the first day in Arizona. Ko’s round was a masterclass in putting, as she poured in 12 birdies in a bogey-free performance that tied the tournament course record. The New Zealander, who recently secured her Hall of Fame induction, noted that she felt "in the zone" from the very first hole, setting a pace that left the rest of the field in a chase for second place.

The leaderboard remained incredibly low-scoring despite Ko’s dominance. Defending champion Hyo Joo Kim began her defense with an impressive 11-under 61, a score that would typically lead any other event. Nelly Korda stayed firmly in the hunt for a sixth consecutive victory, carding a 9-under 63 to sit in solo third. Other notable performances included Wei-Ling Zhang, who sat in fourth at 8-under, and Jenny Bae, who provided the highlight of the day by recording a hole-in-one on the par-3 6th hole en route to a 6-under 66.

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