Charley Hull made the dream begin to her bid for a maiden main title by grabbing a one-shot lead after the opening spherical of the AIG Girls’s Open at St Andrews.
Hull – who completed runner-up in final yr’s contest – produced six birdies with a lone bogey on a windy day across the Outdated Course, with a five-under 67 seeing her prime the leaderboard forward of former main champion Ruoning Yin and world No 1 Nelly Korda.
Korda was taking part in alongside Hull and produced a birdie-birdie end to get inside one of many lead, whereas defending champion Lilia Vu – finishing that marquee threeball – sits simply two strokes again after a formidable opening-round 69.
Former main champion Patty Tavatanakit matched Korda’s late birdie burst to hitch Vu within the group on three below, whereas Olympic gold medallist Lydia Ko and 2018 Girls’s Open champion Georgia Corridor each began with one-under 71s.
Stars impress at windy St Andrews
The R&A had warned pre-tournament that climate delays had been ‘a threat’ due to the sturdy winds forecast on the opening day, though the primary spherical was accomplished with out suspension regardless of brutal circumstances and a gradual tempo of play.
Yin delivered a surprising begin within the worst of the winds within the morning wave, the place solely 4 gamers posted rounds below par, with 5 birdies in a seven-hole stretch briefly taking her 4 forward and threatening a course document.
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Ruoning Yin made a scorching begin to her AIG Girls’s Open title problem, mixing seven birdies with three bogeys throughout an eventful opening spherical
The previous KPMG Girls’s PGA champion then bogeyed two of her final 4 holes to complete with a four-under 68, which remained the lead till Hull made her cost up the leaderboard.
Hull responded to a bogey on the par-three eighth by birdieing three of her subsequent 4 holes, then bounced again from failing to make the most of a lucky break off a rake on the par-five 14th to birdie the following and transfer degree with Yin.
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Hull was saved by a rake from going within the bunker on the par-five 14th, though didn’t take benefit
The 28-year-old capped off a formidable opening day with a birdie on the par-four final to maneuver into the outright benefit, whereas Korda birdied three of her final 5 holes to remain inside one among her taking part in accomplice.
Extra to comply with…
Who will win the AIG Girls’s Open? Watch all 4 rounds stay this week on Sky Sports activities! Dwell protection of the second spherical continues on Friday at noon on Sky Sports activities Golf. Stream the ladies’s majors and extra sport with NOW.
