Australian teenager Minjee Lee and Kaohsiung-born Candie Kung both shot five-under 67 to share the HSBC Women’s Champions lead at the top of a tight first-round leaderboard yesterday.
Defending champion Inbee Park was among four players one stroke back and world No. 1 Lydia Ko was four off the pace in tied 27th after a hot, windswept day at the par-72 Serapong Course on Sentosa Island.
Kung shot to the top of the leaderboard with five bogeys and an eagle on the 12th. Two bogeys on the 13th and 15th failed to dislodge the world No. 41 from the tournament lead.
Photo: EPA
Later Lee, 19, who is seeking her second career victory, joined Kung, 34, at the top, with four birdies and an eagle.
“The wind was a little calm back then [on the 10th hole],” said Kung, who started on the back nine. “I was able to get up there in two and made my putt from about six feet.”
“I love wind. Windy is good. It makes it tough for everybody. Brings everybody into the game. You have to hit good shots out there and make your putts,” she added.
The wind also gave Lee’s game a lift, highlighted by an eagle on the par-five 12th.
“I was putting over the tier. It was about 30 feet and I made it. It was a nice eagle there,” Lee said.
World No. 2 Park hit five birdies, but also a bogey on the par-three 17th — after not carding any bogeys at all in last year’s run to the title.
“It is going to come at some point,” the 27-year-old Park said. “It is actually easy to get it over with today and just play without the pressure for next few days. It is okay, it just happens for a reason.”
“Everything else was pretty steady today. I hit the ball good and putted really good out there today. I am looking really forward to the next three days. I really feel comfortable on this golf course. I had a really good round today and it gives me a lot of confidence as well,” she added.
Ko, who is recovering from a cold, said she had a few adjustments to make as she seeks her first win in the tournament.
“My club selection was not that great today,” the 18-year-old New Zealander said.
“So I have just got to get a hang of the wind and with how breezy it is sometimes. I have just got to get used to it, be confident in the club that I have chosen and if I have got a good look for birdie, put a good stroke on it,” she added.
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng shot a four-over 76 to finish tied for 56th place.
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