Reignwood LPGA Classic Rd 1 Notes

Ariya Jutanugarn closed with four consecutive birdies on Thursday to take a one-shot lead over Brooke Henderson at the Reignwood LPGA Classic after one round of play.

The highest ranked player in the field carded 10 birdies en route to her 8-under 65, just one shy of her lowest score to par this season. The score is also one back of the tournament record set by three players in 2013.

Jutanugarn may have left a few shots on the course with bogeys on holes 7 and 14, and said she wasn’t completely satisfied with her iron play.

“Today I think today my iron was not that good,” Jutanugarn explained. “Was okay. Just have to work on my iron a little bit today.”

The 20-year-old who won for the first time in her career earlier this season is seeking her sixth win of the year. With a victory this week, she would be the first player to reach six wins in a season since Inbee Park in 2013.

“Today I really like want to have fun and enjoy in the course and just like make sure I do like focus on like what’s under my control. Not worry about the outcome, the result.”

Henderson sits alone in second place after a bogey-free 66, her 35th round in the 60s of 2016 (ranks 4th on Tour). The young Canadian phenom is off to a fast start in the first event of the Asia swing – Henderson currently plans to play in all six tournaments in Asia this fall.

“I’m looking forward to being really in Asia for the first time. I’ve visited a few other times, but this will really be the true taste of a bunch different countries and language and culture, so I am really looking forward to it.”

Three Chinese players (2013 champion Shanshan Feng, Yanhong Pan, Taoli Yang) and two Americans (Lizette Salas, Jennifer Song) make up the five players tied for third place at 5-under.

MOST WINS IN A SEASON - LAST FIVE YEARS

2016 - 5, Ariya Jutanugarn*

2015 - 5, Two players (Lydia Ko, Inbee Park)

2014 - 3, Three players (Lydia Ko, Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park)

2013 - 6, Inbee Park

2012 - 4, Stacy Lewis

*Through 25 events (8 remaining)

Over 1/4 (22-of-81) of the players in the field at the Reignwood LPGA Classic are playing in their home country of China this week. That list includes the two players who represented the nation at the Rio Olympic games (Bronze Medalist Shanshan Feng and Xi Yu Lin) and 15 CLPGA players. There are four amateur Chinese players teeing it up with the pros on the Nicklaus course (Muni He, Yifan Ji, Wenbo Liu, Jingwen Zhang).

Through the first round, Shanshan Feng, Yanhoung Pan and former CLPGA No. 1 Taoli Yang are the low Chinese players, sitting in a tie for third at 5-under par. There are currently 12 players from China who are even par or better, and five are inside the top-10 on the leaderboard.

“This year thus far there will be one day up on the leaderboard, and I’m very happy for this day,” said Yang. “I feel very good, especially on the back nine playing. So I still feel I was able to lead the way, and hopefully I want to stay there for a while.”

The Red Bull Final Five Challenge returns at the Reignwood LPGA Classic this year. The 5-hole challenge awards the player with the lowest cumulative score in relation to par for tournament holes 14-18 throughout the week.

There are 10 players currently tied for the lead in the challenge, scoring 3-under on holes 14-18 on Thursday.

The winner of the challenge will receive $50,000 USD at the conclusion of the tournament. Players need to finish all 4 rounds, 72 holes (or the official number of rounds completed in this year’s Reignwood LPGA Classic if shortened due to weather) to be eligible.

-26 - Tournament scoring record set by Shanshan Feng in 2013

64 - Lowest 18-hole score at the Reignwood LPGA Classic, set by three players in 2013 (Shanshan Feng (twice), Na Yeon Choi, Jessica Korda)

6 - Players within three shots of the lead after the first round

3 - Chinese players tied for third, three shots back of leader Ariya Jutanugarn

2 - Winners of this tournament came from two different Asian countries in 2013 & 2014