When it’s your day, it’s truly your day. On the first day of the Japan Classic, it was FKo’s day, as she delivered her best round of the season at the scenic Seta Golf Course. Coming off a season filled with both challenges and resilience, the former world No. 1 put everything together, saying afterward, “Today was special; everything just clicked.”
“Honestly, I can’t single out one thing,” she reflected after her bogey-free 64. “From the tee to the green, I felt in control, and I was sinking my putts all round.” Her score placed her just one shot off the lead behind Japan’s own Ayaka Watanabe. In a round where everything seemed to flow seamlessly, FKo showed once again why she is a tour favorite.
It was a putting masterclass from FKo on Thursday, needing only 25 putts to navigate her way through a pristine round. Her front nine set the tone, but it was on the back nine that FKo truly shined, making five birdies in her last seven holes. “The back nine, I don’t know, something just sparked,” she shared with a smile. “It’s been a while since I’ve felt this comfortable with my game, and I’m grateful.”
For FKo, this round of 64 represents her lowest score on the LPGA Tour in almost a year, a significant milestone in a season that has seen its fair share of struggles and setbacks. Known for her tenacity and precision, she has navigated multiple injuries, from her wrist to her shoulder, that limited her performance and led to a scaled-back schedule this season. Taking a five-week break after a second-place finish in Boston earlier this fall, she returned to competition last week at the Malaysia Open but found herself still working to regain form. Her performance in Japan, however, showed a glimpse of the FKo the golfing world remembers so well.
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