(Photo credit score: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports)
Yuka Saso of Japan caught hearth late in her spherical to shoot a 6-under-par 66 and take the first-round lead on the CPKC Women’s Open on Thursday in Vancouver.
Saso opened her spherical on the again 9 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club and carded two bogeys and two birdies. Everything modified after she made the flip, as she rolled in 4 consecutive birdies at Nos. 1-4 and added two extra on the sixth and seventh holes.
That was sufficient for Saso to personal a one-stroke lead over Sweden’s Linn Grant.
“First nine was pretty stable,” Saso mentioned. “Hit it OK, putted OK. I don’t know what happened the back nine. I started hitting some good second shots and having short putts for birdies, giving myself a lot of chances.”
Saso hasn’t gained on the LPGA Tour since her main breakthrough on the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open. She does have six top-10 finishes this season, together with three top-three finishes in her previous 5 begins.
She is up towards Grant, who gained her first LPGA title final month on the Dana Open and hasn’t completed worse than a tie for twentieth in three begins since then.
Grant performed the entrance 9 first on Thursday, however like Saso, she heated up towards the tip of her spherical. Grant responded to a bogey 6 at No. 11 by sinking 4 straight birdies.
“I think it was a mix of some lucky birdies and some really good ones,” Grant mentioned. “I think after 12 I kind of got confidence going and kind of felt more confident hitting the shots and relying on my golf and myself.”
A formidable group is tied for third at 3-under 69 at Canada’s nationwide open.
Former World No. 1 and 2019 event champion Jin Young Ko of South Korea is tied with countrywoman Sei Young Kim, 20-year-old phenom Rose Zhang, Danielle Kang, Alena Sharp of Canada and Weiwei Zhang of China.
Ko carded 5 birdies to offset two bogeys.
“After 2019, we couldn’t play in Canada because of COVID, and we came back to Canada last year,” mentioned Ko, who gained the occasion when it was performed in Aurora, Ontario. “It’s virtually over three years. I missed the reduce final yr so I (was) actually unhappy.
“I know (Vancouver is) a really nice and lots of Korean people out there, so it’s going to be really fun.”
World No. 2 Nelly Korda is a part of a tie for ninth at 2-under 70 with France’s Perrine Delacour and Australians Hannah Green and Gabriela Ruffels.
Canadian fan favourite Brooke M. Henderson, who gained the event in 2018, struggled to a 3-over 75 with 4 bogeys and only one birdie. It was her first time enjoying a aggressive spherical whereas carrying glasses.
“At least I could see my ball in the bush, which was kind of a good thing, I guess,” Henderson mentioned. “No, made it a lot easier on me, a lot less strain and I didn’t have to ask where it was every time I hit it.”
Defending champion Paula Reto of South Africa opened with a 6-over 78.
–Field Level Media