Nelly Korda And Lydia Ko Make Mid-Tournament Equipment Changes At LPGA Tour Opener

On Friday, Ko shaved three strokes off her putting, as she produced 28 putts and a five-under-par round of 67. Like Korda, Ko spoke to the media following her second round, stating: “I had a slight equipment change. It was the same putter but a different version of the same putter yesterday.

“I quickly realized that I shouldn’t abandon the putter that was so good to me last year, so I brought that back today. Even though I felt like a few more putts could have dropped, I still putted a lot better. All I can do is just put a good stroke on it. That was most improved, so I feel like I’m trending in the right direction not only in the score, but just how my game played out.”

“It was a me problem or something I had created. Technology and like golf equipment is just advancing, and I tried to go to more of a face balanced style putter. Sometimes under pressure your stroke changes, and I was putting really good with the putter that I had used yesterday in my weeks leading up to this.

“I had no doubt that I was going to struggle and see some of the misses that I saw. I think when you are under pressure, and as much as you are still having a good time, it’s different playing competitive rounds than just playing a round with some of my friends out here.

“I think the consensus was that sometimes when it’s so forgiving or makes it easier, I think it takes the athleticism out a little bit. I know that sometimes I have pulled my putt or pushed it a little bit because of my gut feeling on how this putt is going to break…

“Obviously it’s not the putter’s fault. It’s all the puttees’ fault. It’s just having a difficult round on the greens to come back to something that I’m familiar with and I know that I’ve putted well with, was I think a good change for me. But, yeah, it’s never the equipment’s fault. Last time I checked that putter I used yesterday was a putter I used to get the Player of the Year in 2022. Like clearly the results back up my consensus. It’s just I think sometimes like the saying they say if it’s not broke why change it. I learned it the hard way yesterday.”