South Korea’s Shin Ji-yai , playing her first event of the year, shot a 6-under-par 67 yesterday to take a share of the first-round lead at the Women’s Australian Open.
American Jennifer Song was level with Shin at the Commonwealth Golf Club. Rebecca Coakley of Ireland was in third place with a 68, while five golfers were tied for fourth with 69s: Australian Nikki Campbell, Eun Ji and Eun-Hee-ji of South Korea, Anne-Lise Caudal of France and Becky Morgan of Wales.
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng was in a group of eight players a shot further back.
Photo: EPA
Former Australian Open champions Laura Davies of England and Australia’s Karrie Webb shot 71 and 72 respectively.
“I changed my swing a little bit last month, I changed the tempo,” Shin said. “I had confidence but I was a little bit nervous too. But when I played the first hole with good hitting, good contact. After that I just trusted myself and I hit to the pin on every hole.”
“My whole round was very scratchy,” Webb said. “I managed to get it around. I did some good things. I have not played for two months. I’m not complaining.”
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