World No. 1 Yani Tseng shot a six-under 66 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Canadian Women’s Open.
Emerging from a mid-season slump, the Taiwanese had eight birdies and a double bogey at The Vancouver Golf Club. The Taiwanese star opened the season with victories in three of her first five events, then had a series of missed cuts and poor finishes, before tying for 11th last week in Oregon in the Safeway Classic.
“If I miss a couple shots, I don’t worry about it, not like I did before, so I feel that this is the way I used to play,” Tseng said.
Photo: Reuters
Tseng won a Canadian Women’s Tour event in 2007 on the tree-lined course.
“I wish I didn’t finish today,” Tseng said. “I wish I could keep going — keep playing — but 18 holes are finished. [Friday] is a new day, but I’ll try to keep that momentum going and try to do the best I can.”
Tseng’s compatriot Amy Hung was tied for 16th place after carding a one-under 71.
US Women’s Open champion Choi Na-yeon was in second place after a 67.
The South Korean praised English tutor Greg Morrison for giving her considerable insight into his hometown.
“This is my first trip in Vancouver, but I feel very comfortable, because I heard a lot of things,” Choi said. “I go to a Korean restaurant [for] every meal if I can and [Wednesday] night I found a great restaurant. [It] was just like my mom cooked.”
Lydia Ko, the 15-year-old South Korean-born New Zealander who won the US Women’s Amateur tournament two weeks ago, was two strokes back on 68, along with South Korea’s Park In-bee.
In January, Ko won the New South Wales Open in Australia at 14 to become the youngest player to win a professional tour event.
Defending champion Brittany Lincicome opened with a 72.
Michelle Wie, the 2010 champion at St Charles in Winnipeg, Manitoba, had a 74.
After three-putting on the final hole, Wie cursed and threw away her putter.
“I tapped in and I missed, and on that last one I didn’t feel too good, but other than that I had a really solid round,” Wie said.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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