Even for a player regarded among the LPGA’s top putters, Ko Olina Golf Club’s greens have proven to be a quite a riddle.
But if Friday’s round is an indication, Inbee Park may be closing in on the solution.
Park put together two relatively nondescript rounds to open the LPGA Lotte Championship, her first tournament as the world’s top-ranked player. She then made one of Friday’s biggest moves up the leaderboard in a bogey-free round of 5-under-par 67.
Park arrived at the course tied for 19th and will begin today’s final round as part of a three-player tie for eighth place at 8 under for the tournament.
"I just putted a lot better today," Park said. "I hit the ball quite good the last three days but just couldn’t read the greens and had a couple of three-putts. But today I didn’t have any three-putts and birdies fell.
"I’ve played here four years but still couldn’t figure out the greens that well. But it’s getting there."
Park led the tour in putting last year with an average of 1.72 per green in regulation while posting the tour’s lowest scoring average. She took an average of 28.3 putts per round in last year’s Lotte Championship and needed 29 putts in Wednesday’s round of 70 and 28 in Thursday’s 71 at Ko Olina.
Park got through Friday’s round with just 26 putts and got five to fall for birdies.
She hit 12 of 14 fairways and her approach shots set up three pars inside of 10 feet on the front nine. She then got a 25-footer to drop on the par-5 13th hole and drained a 15-footer on No. 15.
"I feel really good about my game. I hit a lot of good shots yesterday and today, I hit a lot of close shots and gave myself a lot of opportunities, but didn’t make all of them," said Park, who has family members living in Hawaii and visited a few times growing up.
"These greens are not my favorite greens. These greens are the tough ones to read, they’re very grainy. I’m just trying to grind it out and hopefully have a better day tomorrow."
Park entered the tournament atop the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, moving ahead of Stacy Lewis during an off week on the tour schedule. Her points average was 0.04 ahead of Lewis to begin the tournament and the tight race helps spice the tournament grind.
"It’s always fun to play for No. 1 every week," said Park, who ranks second behind Lewis on the LPGA money list this season. "Whether I stay at No. 1 or go back to No. 2, it doesn’t really matter. I’m just happy I can play for something like that every week. It’s just a lot of fun."
Park said she’ll keep track of where she stands during her rounds and saw her name steadily ascend the leaderboard as Friday’s play progressed.
"I watch the scoreboard, it’s tough not to," said Park, who is one shot behind Lewis. "It gives me inspiration to play better and see how other players are doing too and where the leader’s at."
Park will begin today’s round six shots behind leader Suzann Pettersen and catching the leaders will take some doing. How far she can rise will again depend on the shortest club in the bag.
"If my putter’s working I think I can go low," she said, "but these greens are really tough. Everybody’s having difficulty with the greens. I’ll just try my best, go as low and I can and see what happens."
