Yoo Hyeran and Liu Yan Share Lead After Chevron Championship First Round
Kim Hyojoo in Third, Choi Hyejin and Ariya Jutanugarn Tied for Fourth
Ko Jin-young and Yoon Yina Tied for 34th, Nelly Korda in 118th Place
Yoo Hyeran has laid the groundwork for a major tournament victory.
On April 4 (local time), at The Club at Carlton Woods (par 72, 6,911 yards) in Woodlands, Texas, Yoo shot a 7-under-par 65 in the first round of the Chevron Championship, the first major tournament of the LPGA Tour season with a total prize fund of $8 million. She shared the top of the leaderboard with Liu Yan (China). Due to severe weather, some players were unable to complete their rounds.
Yoo Hyeran is smiling on the green of the 9th hole in the first round of the Chevron Championship, a major tournament. Woodlands=AFP Yonhap News Photo by Yoo Hyeran
Yoo Hyeran recorded seven birdies without a single bogey. She made two pairs of consecutive birdies on holes 2-3 and 7-8, getting off to a smooth start, and added three more birdies on holes 10, 13, and 18 in the back nine. Her average driving distance of 283 yards and just 24 putts for the round were outstanding. Tied for the lead by one stroke, she now has a chance to claim her third career victory, seven months after the FM Championship in September last year. In a post-round interview, Yoo said, "Changing my putter after the last tournament made a difference," and added, "Because I performed well at this event last year, I was able to play more comfortably."
Ford Championship winner Kim Hyojoo is in third place with a 5-under-par 67. Seeking her first major victory in 11 years since the 2014 Evian Championship, Kim said, "Overall, it was good, but it's unfortunate that I dropped a shot on the final 18th hole," and added, "I didn't realize I had only 10 putts on the front nine, but I hope this good momentum continues tomorrow."
Choi Hyejin, Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand), and Carlota Ciganda (Spain) are tied for fourth at 4-under-par 68. Jeon Inji reduced her score by three strokes over 16 holes to tie for 10th place, while Lee Somi and Lee Minjee (Australia) are tied for 16th at 2-under-par 70. This year's season opener champion Kim Arim is tied for 24th at 1-under-par 71. Ko Jin-young and Yoon Yina are tied for 34th at even-par 72, Lydia Ko (New Zealand) is tied for 61st at 1-over-par 73, and world number one and defending champion Nelly Korda (United States) is tied for 118th at 5-over-par 77.
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