World No.3 Jin Young Ko and Team Van Dam lead at Aramco Team Series Hong Kong

HONG KONG: World No. 3 Jin Young Ko took the lead in the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF — Hong Kong after an impressive bogey-free first-round score of eight-under-par at the Hong Kong Golf Club.
The South Korean, who was one of the favorites heading into this week, dominated from the start, scoring 30 on the front nine and 35 on the back, establishing a two-shot lead over Anne van Dam of the Netherlands, who shot a six-under-par 67 and sits alone in second place.
“I practiced a lot and worked out a lot (last month), as I really wanted to play in the Aramco Team Series,” Ko said.

“I’m really happy to be here in Hong Kong playing in the team event.”
She added: “If I win, it’s going to be my first win on the Ladies European Tour, so it’s going to be an honor. So that motivates me.

I have two more rounds to go, so I will get some more birdies.”
Ko hit every fairway and 17 out of 18 greens on the course, where several legends of the game have triumphed in the past, including Hall of Famers Peter Thomson, Tom Watson and Greg Norman, and major champions Rory McIlroy, Bernard Langer and Padraig Harrington.
Ko, who holds the record for the most weeks spent at No. 1 in the Rolex Women World Golf Rankings, is also eyeing up a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame and sees this week as a step closer to that illustrious milestone.
Ko remarked: “I want to get into the Hall of Fame.

I have seven more points left. So, I need to get seven wins or two or three majors.