In the midst of the palm trees and fairways of Naples, the Grant Thornton Invitational unfolded as a story of redemption for Lydia Ko. The Kiwi golfer’s 2023 season had been a test, but now the greens have seen her resurge as she secures the top spot on the leaderboard. Paired with Jason Day, Ko has found herself in a position to rewrite her fate this season, and perhaps secure her first LPGA Tour win this year. 

Working towards raking a win, the golfer was recently seen practicing late in the night at the Tiburón Golf Club. Her dedication to doing better was appreciated by her fans. Soon after the celebratory moment, in a recent interview, Ko revealed a statement that subtly contradicted the late-night claims. 

Lydia Ko reflects on late-night practice and technical progress 

After the second day of play, Lydia Ko and Jason Day sat for an interview with the media. Ko responded to a question about her late-night practice on the range and clarified that it wasn’t that late due to early sunsets in Florida. “To be honest, it wasn’t that late. I don’t take that much credit. The sun sets really early, it’s that time of the year here in Florida,” the golfer said. 

She acknowledged feeling good about her shots but noticed a tendency to miss straight on Tuesday. “I hit a lot of good shots, and when I played on Tuesday with Jason, I was like, man, I feel so bad, I hit everything but straight,” Ko remarked. Further adding to that, the player said that she aimed to bring everything together during her practice, emphasizing the importance of engraving positive feelings. 

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Focused on refining her skills, particularly in pressure conditions, Ko concluded by adding that she is “trying to improve little by little,” recognizing the “unique situation” of being the one to recover from mistakes. 

The icon has been commended for her play on the greens this time around with her partner Day. Ko and Day’s chemistry has been palpable from the start. Here’s a look at how the pair have turned heads with their performance on the greens that have led them to the top position. 

Lydia Ko and Jason Day’s dazzling performance in Naples 

The alternate-shot format game in Naples has proved to be a canvas for Lydia Ko and Jason Day. With the Day 2 finish, the golfers’ scorecard is adorned with a dazzling 66. The round showed not only their technical finesse but also the resilience that defined their partnership. Seven birdies, a sole bogey, and a series of remarkable plays, including Ko’s bunker escape and Day’s putting, is what has propelled the pair to a 20-under.

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For Ko, the current game position is a signal to not just secure a win in Naples but also make a potential resurgence that promises to echo in the upcoming LPGA Tour season. The inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational has become a chapter in the golfing story, where two champions have turned the year-long challenges into step-by-step wins. Now, all that awaits is to see how the end unfolds. 

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