BELLEAIR, Fla. (AP) — Haeran Ryu shot a 6-under 64 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in The Annika, with teen amateur Kai Trump last in the 108-player field after an 83 in her LPGA Tour debut.
Ryu had four straight birdies on Nos. 4-7 on her back nine in breezy conditions at Pelican Golf Club. The South Korean player won the Black Desert Championship in Utah in May for her third career LPGA Tour title.
“My shot is good and putter is good and everything,” Ryu said. “I’m so happy to make some a lot of birdies.”
Trump is the granddaughter of President Donald Trump. Playing on a sponsor exemption, the high school senior bogeyed the first four holes and finished with nine bogeys and two double bogeys.
“I was definitely more nervous than I expected, but I thought I hit a lot of great shots out there,” she said. “I hit a lot of good shots just to the wrong spots.”
Grace Kim of Australia was second after a 65.
“I knew that wind was going to be up a little bit, and knowing this course is generally on the tougher side, I just kind of just played my own game.” Kim said. “I didn’t focus too much on a specific score as such. Made a few putts, which was nice.”
Jennifer Kupcho shot 66, and Charley Hull was at 67 with Mao Saigo, Leona Maguire, and Somi Lee.
“I played pretty solid considering I didn’t get here until Tuesday night and had to pull out of the pro-am yesterday because I felt sick,” Hull said. “So, I didn’t play the golf course. I had an early practice and managed to wing it around today. ”
Defending champion Nelly Korda opened with a 71. She had 17 pars and a bogey on the par-4 ninth.
Korda won the tournament last year to become the first player in 13 years to win seven times in a season. She has yet to win this year.
The top 60 in the Race to CME Globe qualify for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship next week, where all 60 can win the $2 million prize.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
