Golf: Lydia Ko seven shots back after inconsistent opening round at LPGA's Mediheal Championship

Lydia Ko.
Lydia Ko. Photo credit: Image - Getty

Lydia Ko sits seven shots behind the clubhouse leader, after the opening round at the LPGA Mediheal Championship in California, carding an even par 72.

Starting on the back nine, the 24-year-old began brightly with a birdie on the 11th hole, but her advantage was quickly cancelled out by back-to-back bogeys on the 13th and 14th.

Two more birdies on the 15th and 18th holes saw her to the halfway stage of the first round at one-under, only for inconsistency to strike, as she hit the front nine.

Bogeys on the second and fourth holes took Ko from one-under to one over, before going even again with a birdie on the fifth.

One last bogey on the eighth hole was cancelled out by a final birdie on the ninth, seeing Ko complete her opening day square with the card.

Overall, Ko completed her first round with five birdies and five bogeys.

Ireland's Leona Maguire leads the field after the first round, carding a seven-under 65.