Taiwan’s Hsu Wei-ling and England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff yesterday seized the early lead as top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn struggled on day one of the LGPA Women’s Australian Open.
The Thai world No. 1, last year’s standout player, carded two double-bogeys and two bogeys to be well down the field with a four-over-par 76, leaving her 11 adrift of the leaders.
Hsu and Ewart Shadoff shot 65s to be two clear of a group of three, including veteran Karrie Webb, who has 41 wins to her name.
Photo: EPA-EFE
New Zealand’s former world No. 1 Lydia Ko and Australian Minjee Lee, ranked seven, are four strokes further back in the LPGA Tour event at the Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, alongside France’s Celine Boutier, who won last week’s Vic Open.
“To get off to a good start is always nice. I played really steady today,” Ewart Shadoff said after her bogey-free round. “It was perfect conditions. I hit some close shots and holed some good putts. Overall I just hit the ball well.”
Hsu is looking for her maiden LPGA title after collecting four top-10 finishes last year.
She put herself well in contention with eight birdies, offset by a single bogey in her first round of the year.
“Everything today was perfect, the driver, the iron shots, but especially the putting,” she said.
Taiwan’s Tsai Pei-ying finished tied for 28th after shooting a one-under 71, while Chien Pei-yun, Teresa Lu, Yani Tseng and Candie Kung were behind the projected cut line.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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