Ayaka Furue finishes in tie for fourth behind Lydia Ko in LPGA opener

Ayaka Furue finished tied for fourth at the U.S. LPGA Tour’s season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, as overnight leader Lydia Ko claimed a two-stroke victory on Sunday.

The 23-year-old Furue led through 36 holes at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Florida, before dropping five shots off the pace in Saturday’s penultimate round. She carded a 1-under 71 in the final round to finish at 8-under 280.

“I couldn’t get into a good rhythm, but I was glad to finish the round under par,” Furue said. “Considering it was the first tournament of the season, I think I got off to a good start.”