Tiffany Joh rode the wave of back-to-back birdies on holes one and two and turned in a gnarly 9-under, 62 to lead the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open by four. The avid surfer's 62 is the lowest round of her professional career. She leads by four shots over In Kyung Kim, Amy Yang and Jenny Shin, who all stand at 5-under.
"I pretty much kept it in play and putted amazing, that's the only way I could describe it today," said Joh, who has her short game coach Gareth Raflewski in town. "I didn't feel like I hit it particularly well, but I feel like I just missed it in the right places and just got a hot putter."
The putter got scolding hot mid-round when she poured in five birdies in a six hole stretch from holes eight through 13. She put an exclamation point on the round of her life with a birdie on 18. Joh has the lead after round one of an event for the first time since 2012.
The 31-year-old has had an interesting year with a pair of top 20s early in the season, but only two top 30s since mid-March.
Even with a four shot lead, Joh had her mind on where she might shred the waves this weekend.
"I've been doing a little research and I heard that there's a place called Pease Bay that might be pretty decent," said Joh in the media scrum. "I have a little magic sea app and it tells me the nearest surf breaks and if there's any surf forecasted. Today and tomorrow it didn't look like there was anything very good, but it looked like this weekend there might be a little swell in the water."
Minjee Lee, Ariya Jutanugarn and Charley Hull are also part of the group of seven at 4-under.
South Koreans Start Strong in Scotland
The leaderboard after day one is filled with South Koreans. While most of them didn't grow up playing links golf, they seem very comfortable.
In Kyung Kim, who won the Ricoh Women's British Open last year, carded a 5-under, 66.
"I mean, we play in very windy conditions and we play in rainy conditions (in Korea) and everything, but this is very different," explained Kim. "I think we're just kind of looking at the view and like we've never seen it before so it's exciting."
While she only plays links courses once or twice a year, Kim really enjoys it. In fact, she said after her round that Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, home of next weeks major, is one of her favorite courses in the world.
"It's a tough course, but I think it suits my game," said Kim, a 7-time winner on the LPGA. "The course can be different every day but I'm just very honored to play the course."
Amy Yang, a three-time LPGA winner, also carded a 5-under, 66.
"It's definitely like a totally different style, but I do enjoy it," said Yang, who made five birdies on her back nine. "I like to use a lot of imagination out there."
Sung Hyun Park, who has a chance to overtake Inbee Park for No. 1 in the world with a win, started with a 4-under, 67. Haeji Kang also turned in a 67.
Charley Hull Squarely in Mix After Day One
Charley Hull sizzled at the start of her round with five birdies over her first seven holes and turned in a 4-under, 67.
"'I'm happy with the way I hit it," said Hull. "I played pretty steady today. I left a lot of shots out there on the back nine. I had so many birdie chances and I didn't manage to get any. I'm kind of happy with the score, especially not playing links for a whole year."
After the hot start, Hull finished her day with seven pars over her final eight holes. She made her lone birdie on the back nine on 16.
Hull thrives on trickier courses that demand imagination.
"Yeah, 100 percent, I love it (links golf)," said Hull. "You have to have an imagination and you have to strike it pretty well because you've gotta make sure your landing areas are pretty good because it's pretty hard and it's bouncy. I think on 10 today it was downwind and I hit my 3-wood into the 350-yard bunker like it was that bouncy, that much downwind. It was ridiculous."
It was the longest 3-wood she's hit in her life.
She also had her boyfriend, Ozzie, in the gallery. It was the first time he had ever watched golf live and of course Hull had to impress with a birdie on hole one.
Unofficial Host Catriona Matthew Cards a 2-under
Catriona Matthew, who lives just five miles from Gullane Golf Club, turned in a 2-under, 69 to start the tournament.
"I played really well, it was quite windy for our first nine and dropped and it picked up there a little again," explained Matthew. "I was pleased with how I played, with the wind and the bumpiness, it's tough to get the ball close. Just missed the green on the third, the short par 3 and didn't get up-and-down. Apart from that, played well."
Matthew's two daughters, Katie and Sophie, both got to watch her play on Thursday.
"It's not often they get to see me play," said Matthew. "(I was) probably a little bit more nervous than a normal, regular event, but with it being at home, it was nice. It was nice to see them out there and girls were watching, so it was nice."
Matthew appeared on the "On The Tee Podcast" this week. Take a listen below.
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