Choi Hye-jin and An Na-rin "Start Tied 12th at 1 Under Par"... Sorenstam and Saxstrom 'Tied for Lead at 5 Under Par'

Day 1 of 2-Person Team Match DGLBI: Kim Arim-No Yerim and Koda Sisters Tied 12th in Foursome, Defending Champs Jutanugarn Sisters Tied 53rd

Choi Hye-jin teamed up with An Na-rin in a foursome on the first day of the DGLBI, shooting 1-under par to start comfortably in a tie for 12th place.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Rookies Choi Hye-jin (23) and An Na-rin (26) had a steady start.

On the 14th (Korean time), at the Midland Golf Course in Michigan, USA (par 70, 6,256 yards), the first day of the LPGA Tour Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational (DGLBI, total prize money $2.5 million) featured a foursome format (two players alternating shots with one ball), where they recorded 1-under par and tied for 12th place. Former golf queens Annika Sorenstam and Madeleine Saxstrom (both Sweden), along with Pauline Roussin (France) and Dewi Weber (Netherlands), share the lead at 5-under par 65.

This tournament is the only two-player team event on the LPGA Tour. The winner is decided through foursomes on rounds 1 and 3, and four-ball (each player plays their own ball and the better score counts) on rounds 2 and 4. Choi Hye-jin and An Na-rin combined four birdies and three bogeys. They struggled in the front nine with two bogeys but surged with three consecutive birdies from holes 10 to 12 and another birdie on the 14th hole (par 4). However, it was disappointing that they could not reduce their score after a bogey on the 15th hole (par 4).

‘Former golf queen’ Annika Sorenstam is hitting an iron shot on the 8th hole on the first day of DGLBI. Midland, USA=Getty Images/Multibits

Sorenstam and Saxstrom racked up six birdies and one bogey. Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) and Emma Talley (USA) are tied for 3rd at 4-under par 66, Kang Hye-ji (32) and Tiffany Chan (Hong Kong) are tied for 7th at 2-under par 68, and strong favorites Nellie and Jessica Korda (USA) sisters, along with Kim A-rim (27) and No Ye-rim (USA), and LPGA 41-time winner Karrie Webb (Australia) and Marina Alex (USA) are all tied for 12th place.

Hong Ye-eun (20) and Angel Yin (USA) are tied for 30th at 1-over par 71, Choi Na-yeon (35) and Megan Frangella (USA) tied for 41st at 2-over par 72, and defending champions Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn (Thailand) finished the first round tied for 53rd at 3-over par 73. Lee Mi-hyang (29) and Nomura Haru (Japan) are tied for 62nd at 5-over par 75, and Kwak Min-seo (32) and Hailey Moore (USA) are tied for 67th at 6-over par 76, struggling in the standings.