Hye-Jin Choi opened with two bogeys, rounded the field with a late 15-foot eagle putt and finished with a three-under 67 on Friday that gave her a share of the three-way lead at The Annika.
It was much more effective than the bogey-free round of Nelly Korda, the No. 1, who could only laugh at her clean card because it was cleaner than she would have liked – 15 straight, a birdie, two closing pars for a 69.
That left Korda four shots behind heading into the weekend at Pelican Golf Club, where a win would make the 28-year-old American eligible for the LPGA Hall of Fame.
“I had a lot of chances,” said Korda, competing for the first time in two months. “But you could tell from yesterday morning to this afternoon with the wind, that’s the defense of this golf course. It’s as fast a Bermuda as I’ve putt in my entire career.”
That was no problem for Solheim Cup star Carlota Ciganda, who birdied the final four holes for a 63 to join Choi and Lindy Duncan (66) atop the leaderboard at 12-under 128.
The Japanese pair of Mao Saigo (65) and Minami Katsu (69) were twice behind.
Choi has been a member of the LPGA for five years and has been chasing a first LPGA win, especially since she was 17 when she took a late lead at the 2017 US Women’s Open and finished as the runner-up.
She also had two good chances to win during the recent pace in Asia, where she was runner-up in Shanghai and South Korea.
Choi was playing in a group with Korda for the opening two rounds, which she believes tested her enough to calm her nerves heading into the weekend. She was unfazed by the bogey-bogey start, or bogey on the par-five 14th, her fifth hole of the round.
She collected enough birdies to regain momentum, then hit an approach that took a nice shot around the green and rolled to just under 15 feet for eagle at the par-five seventh.
“I have two rounds left, but recently I played in a champion group in the tournament before, so I have that experience and I will try to do my best and focus on my game,” Choi said.
The score was low enough in the opening round that a one-under 139 made the cut. This is the last regular season event of the year, and the top 60 in the Race for the CME Globe advance to the finals next week in Naples, where the winner receives $2 million.
Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez, who beat Yealimi Noh in a deciding singles match in her Solheim Cup debut, was among those at nine-under 131. That was important for the Spaniard, who entered the week at number 66 in the Race to the CME Globe.
Charley Hull was five shots off the leaders at seven-under. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Duncan, the 35-year-old Floridian, has yet to win on the LPGA Tour and it was the first time she had at least a share of the lead through 36 holes. She went 2-1 in her Solheim Cup debut.
“The week has gone by so fast, which is sometimes a good thing,” Duncan said. “Because if you’re playing a lot and you have a certain moment, that’s a good way to play.
Charley Hull was five shots off the leaders at seven-under after shooting 67 on Friday. England’s Lottie Woad finished second round level with Hull at seven-way.
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