Ko hopes she's dealt with bunker issues

Ko hopes she's dealt with bunker issues

Kiwi golfer Lydia Ko hopes she's dealt with bunker issues heading into the second round of the LPGA Titleholders event in Florida.

Ko is one under in her first event as a pro, in a tie for 30th, seven shots off the pace.

The bunkers at the Tiberon club are filled with coquina shell waste, rather than the usual sand, which Ko found hard to adjust to.

"Because it's hard enough it feels I can hit it normally, but then it's quite hard to control.

"But I guess playing out of there more times I'll be able to learn it. But hopefully I won't be in there."

Ko is relatively happy with the first 18 holes of her professional golf career.

The young Kiwi has carded a one under par 71.

Ko says after a shaky opening seven holes where she was three over, she found her rhythm.

"I just made a double on three and then bogey on seven, and that didn't make things too well."

She says the birdie on eight got her day going.

Ko will go into the second round with her confidence up.

The Kiwi teenager posted four birdies in an unblemished final 10 holes.

Ko says she gave herself opportunities and needs to keep that going.

"Parr is sometimes good and all I can do is set up birdy putts, and then some will go in, some won't."

There's no cut at the tournament, which German Sandra Gal leads on eight under.

Meanwhile the New Zealanders are languishing near the bottom of the field during the second round of the Golf World Cup in Melbourne.

Michael Hendry is three over through 12 holes and seven over for the tournament, while Tim Wilkinson is two under through five holes but six over overall.

Denmark's Thomas Bjorn leads the field at two under through seven holes and seven under for the tournament.