Tseng and Hull share first round lead at Women's British Open
After day one at the Royal Birkdale course, Yani Tseng and Katherine Hull shared the lead after shooting four-under 68 in the opening round of the Women’s British Open.
Tseng, a rising Taiwanese golf star, is pursuing her first major title. She had a bogey-free first round and earned a birdie and an eagle on the final two holes.
"I played really, really solid. I hit all greens but one today and I putted pretty well," said Tseng, "The last two par-fives were just like long par-fours with the wind, so I stayed relaxed and tried to make birdies. It was pretty good.”
Tseng won the 2008 LPGA Championship and picked up the title at the Kraft Nabisco Championship this season.
Australia’s Hull played her way to the top of the leaderboard despite being one of the last players to tee off. Hull dropped a stroke on the fourth hole but picked herself back up again with three consecutive birdies from the seventh hole onwards. By the time she reached the 18th hole the stands were almost deserted but she eagled the 18th to meet Tseng’s four-under first place lead.
"I hit a drive and a hybrid onto the last green and holed from 60 feet, a great way to finish," Hull said of her final shot. "I had a long talk with my caddie last week and unearthed a secret to improve my game. I had become lazy with my routine and the improvement made all the difference.”
Hull tied for eighth place at the Kraft Nabisco Championship last year, her best finish to date. At last year’s British Open she finished tied for 40th, so this is quiet an accomplishment for her.
Early first round leaders included Anne-Lise Caudal of France, South Korea’s Kim Lang and Sun Young Yoo, and America’s Brittany Lincicome. Caudal was the first to shoot three-under 69 and had only one bogey in her round.
"I've never played links golf before, only two practice rounds this week" said Caudal, who won the 2008 Portuguese Open. "I played really well today.”
Lincicome dropped three strokes after the first two holes. She played the rest of the first round six-under however, and was very happy at the end of the day.
"I putted really well after four-putting the first for double-bogey,” she said. “Afterwards I hit a lot of really long putts, which is unusual for me, but nice. Being a long hitter helped today as well, having wedges onto greens instead of mid-irons."
Lincicome’s fellow American Michelle Wie played her first round at two-under 70, as did South Korea’s In-Kyung Kim. Wie felt good about her game although hopes to do better in the opening nine for round two.
"I felt good all the way round today," Wie said. "I hit some good putts, they just didn't go in until at the end."
Evian Masters winner Jiyai Shin opened with 71, as did Juli Inkster. Shin won the tournament last week in France and earned back her position at the top of the Rolex Rankings list. Shin also won the 2008 Women’s British Open when it was held at Birkshire. It was her first LPGA Tour and major win. Shin was the first non-member of the LPGA to win a major since Laura Davies won the same tournament in 1987. She didn’t qualify for an LPGA membership until 2009.
Englishwoman Davies shot a level par 72 while American’s Cristie Kerr shot 73 and Women’s U.S. Open Champion Paula Creamer shot 75. Catriona Matthew, the defending champion of the British Women’s Open shot three-over 75.
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