Updated May 8, 2026, 3:38 p.m. ET
Lydia Ko put a new putter in play the day she shot 60.
But that putter, she said, quickly went cold.
At this week’s Mizuho Americas Open, Ko put another new putter in the bag, a Scotty Cameron Phantom 9, and was quite pleased with her opening 5-under 67, a round that included 29 putts. On Friday, she shot 75 on a tough day at Mountain Ridge Country Club, where conditions remind many of the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club, particularly the greens.
“There were some questionable pin positions, I think,” said Ko, “but it’s the same for everyone, so you’re just trying to be smart.”
Ko said she’s had Paul Vizanko, director of player fitting and development at Scotty Cameron, on speed dial. She’s also worked hard with swing coach Holton Freeman and putting coach Chris Cho. Ko ranks 24th in strokes gained putting this season.
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“I have a plumber’s neck, and I haven’t played a plumber’s neck putter since 2018 and early 2019,” said Ko, who put a center-shafted putter in the bag at the Ford Championship.
“So it’s visually very different, but I feel like even though it might take time for me to get used to the new putter and the new look, I thought that in the long run it’s beneficial, and to see a lot of the hard work kind of pay off on a tricky golf course like this is really rewarding.”
The LPGA Hall of Famer has three top-five finishes this season. She missed the cut in the first major of the year, the Chevron Championship, and is no doubt trying to get dialed in before the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera, a title that would give her the career grand slam.
Ko heads into the weekend 2 under for the tournament, three shots back of clubhouse leader Jennifer Kupcho and currently in a share of sixth.
“At the end of the day, I think there is a saying that if you’re putting well, you could almost putt with a broomstick, as in literally a broomstick,” said Ko after the first round. “So I think it’s sometimes between my ears and you have to see those putts go in to kind of get that momentum, and I think that’s what happened today.”
Beth Ann Nichols is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the LPGA.