South Korea’s Amy Yang wielded a red-hot putter to take control of the Kraft Nabisco Championship in Rancho Mirage, California, on Thursday as world No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan lurked close behind.
Yang took advantage of ideal scoring conditions at sun-drenched Mission Hills Country Club, firing a six-under 66 in the opening round of the year’s first women’s major.
Australian Lindsey Wright, who just six months ago considered quitting the game because of depression, was alone in second after carding a 67, with Taiwan’s Tseng an ominous figure a further stroke back at four-under 68.
Photo: AFP
Yang will need to keep a close eye on tournament favorite and 2010 champion Tseng, who has triumphed three times this season in five LPGA Tour starts and won four of the past eight majors.
“I feel kind of disappointed,” five-time major champion Tseng said. “I didn’t hit many good shots and I didn’t give myself many good birdie chances, but it’s only the first day of the tournament and I finished four-under. I am still on the first page of the leaderboard so I’m pretty happy about that. I’m looking forward to the next three days.”
Tseng bogeyed the eighth hole with a feeble chip out of the greenside rough, but the Taiwanese star gathered herself for four birdies in the next six holes.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Candie Kung had a stellar opening round, holing three birdies on the front nine as she carded a two-under 70 to finish with six others tied for 11th.
Compatriot Amy Hung had a round to forget, finishing at four-over 76 after three bogeys and one double-bogey on the front nine.
American world No. 8 Paula Creamer was among a group of seven players who opened with matching 69s on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course, permanent home of the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Yang, who at 16 became the youngest champion on the Ladies European Tour with victory at the 2006 ANZ Ladies Masters, charged to the top of the leaderboard with a run of six birdies in nine holes from the par-three fifth.
“My whole game worked great,” the 22-year-old told reporters after totaling only 23 putts on the sun-baked greens. “I had a great feeling for the green speed and my rhythm felt good.”
Wright took a four-month break from the game late last year after feeling “smothered” by golf and was delighted with her start at Mission Hills.
“From tee to green, I don’t think I missed one fairway today ... and then you set yourself up because the course is just pure,” the Australian said after covering her last nine holes in five-under 31.
“It was one of those days when everything just felt good. I didn’t feel intense. It was just going smoothly,” Wright said. “And I putted really well. Not everything I looked at, but my speed and line matched up really well and it showed with my last nine, shooting five-under.”
Wright, who tied for fourth at the 2009 Kraft Nabisco Championship, said she felt re-energised after her decision to spend time away from the game.
“I was being smothered by it, by the lifestyle and golf, and I wanted to do something else, so I took four months off,” she said. “It was really great. I took the time off and experienced other things and I think that’s made a massive impact for me coming into the year.”
Wright last month won the New Zealand Women’s Open, which is co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour, with a free-wheeling approach to the game which she has taken to Mission Hills.
Australia’s former world No. 1 Karrie Webb and fourth-ranked American Cristie Kerr carded 71s on Thursday, while big-hitting Brittany Lincicome of the US, the 2009 champion, battled to a 76.
Additional reporting by Staff writer
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