Crowded at the top
The leaderboard after round one of the ISPS Women’s Australian Open is chalk full of big names, proven winners, and those hoping to finally get over a hump.
12 golfers sit within three shots of the lead after round one, but everyone is chasing Jin Young Ko.
Ko, who won the 2017 LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship, also tied for 15th at the U.S. Women’s Open a year ago. This week marks her 2018 LPGA Tour debut as a member.
She was bogey-free through 10 holes and was at 4-under par before a colourful final seven holes saw her make five birdies and two bogeys. She birdied her final three holes to get to 7-under for the day
“My goal was (a) bogey-free round… I did (have) two bogeys, but not bad,” said Ko, who admitted she felt like a rookie despite her years on the Korean LPGA Tour and the wins under her belt. “I had a solid round today and I hit some great shots on the back nine… on the front nine too. Not a bad first round.”
Nipping at her heels is fellow South Korean Jiyai Shin who is alone in second after a bogey-free 5-under-par 67. Shin is using a member of Kooyonga Golf Course as her caddie this week – someone she just met on Monday.
Clearly, things have been working out so far.
“Today I played pretty good, I missed only one fairway and missed maybe one green, so my shot was great, and my putting was great too,” she said. “I really enjoyed today… a bogey-free round.”
Shin won this event in 2013, her last victory on the LPGA Tour. Shin won three times in both 2008 and 2009, and became the first Asian golfer to ascend to No.1 in the Rolex Rankings (2010).
There’s a 10-way tie for third at 4-under par, including Lydia Ko (who captured this event in 2015 and finished runner-up in 2016), American Nelly Korda (looking for her first win after a solid rookie season), LPGA Tour rookie Luna Soborn Glames of Spain, and Mo Martin, who has switched to a short putter and is looking for her first win since 2014.
“I think all parts of my game are kind of getting to a supremely high level,” said Martin. “I think there’s still a bit of adjustment going from the long putter to the short putter, but I think I’m in a really good place with that now and my ball striking’s still at a really high level. Obviously, I’m still loving the game, so a lot of pieces are there right now.”
Defending champion Ha Na Jang was even par after round one.
So Yeon Ryu announces caddie change
Former world No.1 So Yeon Ryu announced in a pre-tournament press conference that her usual caddie Tom Watson – who she has been with since she turned professional – wouldn’t be with her this week.
It was confirmed Thursday that the pair has officially split for good, citing how Watson wanted to settle down versus travelling the world.
“My previous caddie and I worked together for six years and then we just decided to just finish in the Bahamas, so I was kind of in a hurry to find a caddie. I just don’t want to rush,” said Ryu.
Ryu, who fired a 3-under-par 69 in the first round of the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, has Michael Patterson on her bag this week. Patterson most recently worked for Karrie Webb, one of Ryu’s playing partners in the first round.
“It actually kind of feels a little awkward to have another (caddie) on my bag after six years with my previous caddie, but he’s a very experienced caddie,” said Ryu.
Ryu said Patterson will only work with her this week in Australia before he begins work with Suzanne Pettersen. Ryu will have a new caddie with her when she defends her title at the ANA Inspiration.
The 27-year-old has a chance to move back to No.1 in the world with a win this week, as both No.2 Sung Hyun Park and No.1 Shanshan Feng are off.
“I think number one position never can be really comfortable because obviously you have to deal with a lot of things and lot of people’s expectation levels are higher,” she said. “Once you become a number one, you really want to keep that position. That’s another thing that’s really hard to do, but I think if I can become a number one again, at least I experienced it before, so I think maybe I can handle it a little differently.”
Ryu sits four shots back of the lead held by Jin Young Ko.
Amateur Yamaguchi not fazed at big stage
Although Suzuka Yamaguchi is only 17 years old, she showed no signs of discomfort after an opening round 4-under-par 68 has the young golfer from Japan only three shots back of the lead.
Yamaguchi got into the field at this week’s ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open thanks to her win at the 2017 Australian Women’s Amateur Championship – past winners include LPGA champions Lydia Ko and Minjee Lee.
She was also the youngest competitor at the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open – one of 30 teenagers who teed it up that week – and also played in the LOTTE Championship on the LPGA Tour a year ago.
"I hit it better and am better player, maybe,” she told Golf Australia about how much she’s changed since that U.S. Open.
Yamaguchi got off to a quick start and was 4-under par through 10 holes. She made two bogeys along with two birdies on her final eight holes to finish at that 4-under mark.
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