Lottie Woad struggled to dwell up her billing as pre-tournament favorite throughout a combined begin to the AIG Ladies’s Open, as Japanese gamers dominated the opening day at Royal Porthcawl.
Woad has dominated headlines on the closing main of the 12 months, having received her skilled debut finally week’s ISPS Handa Ladies’s Scottish Open and completed no worse than third in her final three begins, however sits 5 strokes off the tempo after an eventful opening-round 72.
The Englishwoman combined 4 birdies with as many bogeys to take a seat on degree par, with the lead held by Japanese duo Eri Okayama and Rio Takeda, with Mimi Rhodes main British hopes after a powerful three-under 69.
A logjam on two beneath contains world No 1 Nelly Korda, world No 2 Jeeno Thitikul, KPMG Ladies’s PGA Championship winner Minjee Lee and Wales’ Darcey Harry, with 2018 champion Georgia Corridor – enjoying alongside Harry – 4 strokes off the early lead.
Eire’s Leona Maguire sits alongside Woad on degree par, whereas defending champion Lydia Ko is an additional stroke again and Charley Hull can be six behind regardless of making 5 birdies in a six-hole stretch throughout her opening-round 73.
Woad makes combined begin as main favorite
The trio of Woad, Ko and Lilia Vu highlighted themselves a marquee group by all birdieing the par-four first, though Vu bogeyed her subsequent 4 holes and Woad dropped a shot on the par-four third after her chip from the greenside bunker rolled off the inexperienced.
Woad did not stand up and down to avoid wasting par on the par-three fifth however holed a long-range birdie on the subsequent, then was unable to make the most of the par-five ninth as each Ko and Vu made birdie.
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Lottie Woad birdied the primary gap however rapidly returned to degree par after a bogey on the third
One other bogey on the par-four eleventh noticed Woad equal the identical variety of bogeys she made throughout final week’s Scottish Open win, with the 21-year-old then hitting a spectator along with her tee shot on the par-five thirteenth.
Woad settled for par – after her lucky break – and holed an eight-foot birdie on the par-four subsequent to boost hopes of a giant end, solely to hitch Ko in bogeying the par-three fifteenth, dropping each gamers again to at least one over.
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Lottie Woad made par on the par-five thirteenth after getting a really fortunate bounce off of a fan’s hip on the AIG Ladies’s Open
Ko closed out her spherical with three straight pars and Vu fell additional behind after double-bogeying the sixteenth, dropping her to 2 over, as Woad ended her spherical with a birdie to complete the day on degree par.
“Definitely a bit mixed,” Woad informed Sky Sports activities. “I hit some good pictures, hit some unhealthy ones too, however good to birdie the final and end degree.
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Lottie Woad displays on the construct as much as the AIG Ladies’s Open and the way the added stress affected her
“There was a lot of build-up for me heading into this event for me, so it was nice to get a good start. There were a lot more expectations so I had to deal with that and play my golf. It was fine when I teed off but it was just waiting around the last few days.”
Japanese stars dominate opening day
Takeda birdied three of her first six holes and cancelled out a double-bogey on the par-five seventh to birdie 4 of her final seven holes, whereas Okayama recovered from making an opening-hole bogey to fireside six birdies and share high spot on 5 beneath.
Yamashita was additionally on 5 beneath till she bogeyed her penultimate gap, dropping her to 3rd, with Mao Saigo – the Chevron Championship winner – Chisato Iwai and Shiho Kuwaki, all Japanese gamers, sitting inside two of the early lead.
Rhodes raced to the flip in 33 after following birdies on the fifth and seventh with a shocking eagle on the par-five ninth, with the Englishwoman – a three-time winner on the Girls European Tour this season – then including two birdies and two bogeys on her again 9 to take a seat inside the highest 5.
Who will win the AIG Ladies’s Open? Watch all through the week dwell on Sky Sports activities Golf. Reside protection of the second spherical begins on Friday from noon. For Sky prospects, Sky Sports activities Golf is now discovered on channel 406. Not obtained Sky? Stream the ladies’s majors and extra with no contract.
