By Kent Gray
A little bit of golf’s most precious commodity – luck – helped decorated debutant Lydia Ko overcome a delayed start and an uncooperative driver to earn a share of the opening day lead at the 2nd Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF.

The 24-year-old New Zealander, off an hour later than scheduled due to a heavy blanket of early morning fog sitting over Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, returned a 67 to set the clubhouse target.

Spaniard Carlota Ciganda would later match Ko’s five-under score after a round that included a blistering start with six outward nine birdies. The duo will start Friday’s second round with a one-stroke buffer over Switzerland’s Kim Metrau and the Swedish pair of Johanna Gustavsson and Linnea Strom.

“I didn’t drive it very well but every time I did miss it, I wasn’t in that much trouble,” said two-time major-winner Ko.

“I hit it in the desert once and got pretty lucky with my lie. I think today it was a combination between being lucky when I didn’t hit it good, and my irons being really good. I made a lot of opportunities and holed a few good putts which sharpened up my tee shots.”

Ko is an instant fan of Royal Greens but knows a later tee time Friday will present a challenge at the Red Sea coast layout, especially round the course’s notoriously windy back nine.

“The course here is really pure. It’s my first time playing here but it’s a great track with a good combination of holes. It’ll be pretty breezy out in the afternoon tomorrow, so I’ll just have to play smart, be aggressive, trust my game and see where that leaves me.”

Four-time LET winner Ciganda is on the reverse side of the draw as Ko so is keen to cash-in on the calmer early morning conditions expected Friday.

Carlota Ciganda.

“I really enjoyed the course although there was the wind and it was really hot. In the afternoon it gets windy so it is tricky, but the more you play the more you know what the weather is going to do, so maybe tomorrow morning it will get easier. I am excited for tomorrow and will hopefully have a good score.”

Fresh from her win at the Dubai Moonlight Classic, England’s Bronte Law brought that same form to Royal Greens with a two-under-par opening round, clinching the shot of the day with a hole-in-one on the par-3 3rd.

“I actually didn’t realise it was a hole-in-one,” said Law. “I couldn’t see it land on the green or sitting on the green. A cameraman eventually told me it was in, so yeah – it was cool, and I was pretty pleased!

“I played really well today. I had a double-bogey which came out of nowhere, but it’s windy so some shots just get away from you and that one did. Aside from that I hit the ball really well and made quite a few birdies. There’ll be a bit less wind in the morning tomorrow so that should hopefully make it a bit easier.”

Triple Major winner and 2021 AIG Open champion Anna Nordqvist sits four off the lead on one-under-par, Dame Laura Davies is at level par, while defending Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF champion Emily Kristine Pedersen sits at +1.

The $1million Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund continues until Sunday with the Aramco Team Series – Jeddah, the last of four new $1million team tournaments added to the LET this season following from Nov. 10-12.