Thursday was a banner day for South African Paula Reto, who rewrote personal and LPGA Tour records during the first round of the CP Women’s Open. The 32-year-old Reto, in her ninth year on the LPGA Tour, shot a bogey-free 9-under 62 at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, setting the course record by besting the 63 earned by Brooke Henderson in 2017. The 62, the low round of her LPGA Tour career by two strokes, ties the low round overall of the 2022 LPGA Tour season and ties the lowest round in CP Women’s Open history.
“Usually when I make two, three birdies I feel like it's going to be a good day whether I make a few more or not. Usually under par is always good. But to go low is always fun. And to have no bogeys,” said Reto, who has represented South Africa at the Olympics. “I saved two really good par saves, which was nice. So that kind of kept the momentum going for a low round.”
Starting on No. 10, Reto reeled off birdies at 10, 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18 to make the turn in 29. She added front-nine birdies at 4 and 6, before closing with a birdie at the par-5 No. 9 to cap the career-best day.
“It was a good putting day. A lot of putts went in, and that kind of makes the round easier,” said Reto, who needed just 24 putts on Thursday. “Seeing my lines and the speed was pretty good, so made it a lot easier. I was like, just get on the green. So it was a good putting day for sure.”
At -9, Reto holds a first-round lead for the first time since the 2016 Meijer LPGA Classic. She sits two strokes clear of 2022 LPGA Tour rookie Narin An, with the American trio of Robynn Ree, Lilia Vu and Emma Talley tied for third at -6. After opening with nine straight pars on the front nine, Talley lit up on the back. She carded four birdies and aced the par-3 13th, using a 6-iron from 172 yards, for the first hole-in-one of her LPGA Tour career.
“On No. 12 I looked at my caddie and I was like, I know exactly what I'm doing wrong. I'm just going to start hitting it better. That's all I said,” said Talley, who had her best day since a fourth-round 63 at the 2021 Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America. “Then made a birdie and then next hole made a hole in one and almost made a birdie on the next. It was like a completely different golf for the last seven holes than the first half of the day. It was definitely a crazy day, but turned it around and kept it going.”
Local favorite Brooke Henderson, who grew up just an hour away from Ottawa Hunt, shot a 2-under 69 on Thursday, a solid but not spectacular day. With thousands of Canadian fans following her every stroke, Henderson carded five birdies in her opening round, with three straight to open the day. But three bogeys, including two in her final three holes, dropped her into a tie for 51st heading into the second round.
“I hit the ball so well. It's just kind of disappointing that I made two bogeys there on the last couple holes, because I was hitting the ball so close and giving myself so many birdie opportunities,” said Henderson, the 2018 CP Women’s Open champion. “So the idea going into tomorrow is continue to give as many birdie looks as possible and hopefully roll a few more in.”
Danielle Kang, playing in her first event since June after being diagnosed with a tumor on her spine, shot a bogey-free 67 and is tied for 16th at -3. Defending CP Women’s Open winner Jin Young Ko, who won the 2019 tournament before a two-year cancellation due to the pandemic, opened with a 3-under 68 and is tied for 30th.
Rolex Rankings No. 2 Minjee Lee withdrew midway through her round, citing illness.
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