On a day when low scores were abundant at Columbia Edgewater Country Club, it was a pair of 65’s that took the lead in round one of the Cambia Portland Classic.
Sandra Changkija went out in the morning wave and got off to a quick start with a 6-under par, 30 on the outward nine, her first nine of the day. The 485th ranked player in the Rolex World Golf Rankings led by as many as two at 8-under par before making bogey at the last to finish the day with a 7-under par, 65. This is a course that sets up well for Changkija who carded a career best T-9 at this event in 2013.
“Yeah, I like it a lot,” said Changkija after her round Thursday. “I hit some really good drivers out there. I think I hit about 12 fairways, just the putts started going in.”
Changkija made a club change earlier this week, adding a new putter to her bag Monday that helped her get around in 25 putts in round one.
“I’ve been hitting it really well,” Changkija said. “I just wasn’t making putts. I switched putters this week. I went to a Cure Putter. It seems to be working well for me.”
Changkija shares the lead with Amy Anderson who carded a bogey-free 65 that included a stretch of five consecutive birdies on the front nine.
“The real key, I think, was the three pars that I made early, and I missed all three first greens, and I was able to get up‑and‑down, made a huge par save on three, and from that point when I hit it on the green, I made the putt,” Anderson said after her round. “So 5‑under on the front nine is obviously a great start.”
Anderson is looking for her first victory on the LPGA Tour after an illustrious collegiate career at North Dakota State that included a record breaking 20 victories, a record previously held by Juli Inkster with 17 wins. Despite that success Anderson says she’s still learning what it takes to succeed on Tour.
“We just play so much more golf,” Anderson told the media after her round. “We're on the road constantly, and that adjustment of trying to be comfortable with your swing week in and week out rather than playing a tournament, limping in and then going back to your coach, it's been difficult, but I've really enjoyed it 100 percent.”
Now in her second year on the LPGA Tour, Anderson has been playing good golf of late, finishing T-8 in her last start at the Meijer LPGA Classic.
“My swing has felt a little bit better than it did earlier in the year,” said Anderson. “I've really been rolling the ball well and when you put those two together, obviously that gives you a chance to shoot some low scores.”
Anderson and Changkija hold a one-stroke lead ahead of a group at 6-under par that includes Monday qualifier Brooke Henderson, who shot 68 to earn a spot in this week’s field.
“I feel much more comfortable in the first round than I do lots of times because I've already played this golf course in a competitive atmosphere this week, and I think that really helped me,” Henderson told the media. “It was a lot of fun out there today. I got off to a pretty fast start. I was 4‑under through the first nine, and really took advantage of the soft and scorable conditions out there this morning.”
Solheim Cup hopeful Alison Lee, Jacqui Concolino, Sandra Gal and Mo Martin are tied for third with Henderson at 3-under par.
World No.2 Lydia Ko is making her first start in Portland this week and shot an opening round 2-under par, 70. Defending Champion Austin Ernst opened with an even par, 72 on Thursday.
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