Charley Hull overcame concerns about her game to come within two strokes of the early lead at the LPGA Tour’s Kroger Queen City Championship in Ohio.
The three-time LPGA Tour winner, who returns as the defending champion after a one-shot victory last year, is tied for seventh after shooting an opening-round 68 in cold, windy conditions at Maketewah Country Club.
Hull, who missed the cut at last week’s Mizuho Americas Open, birdied the par-4 15th and canceled out her second bogey with a birdie eagle on the sixth to briefly move within one of the leaders.
Hull was 2 under par after the opening round.
The British woman failed to get up and down the sand to save par on the day’s final hole, the par-3 ninth, with Chela Choi, Ina Yun and Rio Takeda leading the way with opening-round 66s.
“I hit a good shot,” Hull told reporters. “I’m not hitting it well right now, so my 5-iron was a total waste on the last hole, short in the bunker.
“I don’t think the green staff did a good job of raking the bunkers. There were a few bunkers out there. It was just a padded line, like a footprint. It ended up being a bogey, but considering the way it was hit, I was pretty happy with the way it played.”
Takeda recorded 5 birdies and 1 bogey with a 4-under par 66, while Choi Kyung-ju maintained the sole lead as her consecutive bogeys were reduced to 4 under par, and Yoon Yun-jung tied for first place as a trio.
Former major champions Jin Young Ko and Lilia Vu were tied for fourth with Amanda Doherty, while Lydia Ko was level with Hull’s 68 after bogeying the final hole of the day.
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Coach Ko explained, “It’s really difficult to compare the front nine and back nine because they feel like two completely different golf courses.” “I only hit about 5 out of 14 fairways, but I hit it well. It’s one of those golf courses where if you deviate just a little bit, you can end up in the left or right rough or through.
“Overall, I thought I played really solid. I made a few putts on the back nine, but other than that, I don’t think it made much of a difference. I just tried to be patient.”
The world’s top two players, Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul, were both three behind the early leaders as England’s Lottie Woad and Solheim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist started with level-par 70s.
On the Women’s European Tour, Leonie Harm shot a bogey-free 65 to maintain a one-stroke lead over compatriot Esther Henseleit after the opening round of the Amundi German Masters.
Harm led the way with eight birdies at Green Eagle Golf Course. Denmark’s Sofie Kibsgaard was third, three strokes behind, and England’s Meghan MacLaren shot a 4-under 69 to move to four strokes behind the early lead.
“I had a really great ball day,” Ham said. “I don’t remember hitting it that close to your flag, probably in my entire life, and it’s been a long time and my putter was really hot.”
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