New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori leads the way in the opening round at the Hills Open, firing four-under-par (67) at Hills Golf & Sports Club.
In windy and testing conditions, the 26-year-old rose to the challenge and was able to set the early pace in Sweden.
Kobori had a steady front nine with one birdie on the sixth hole, but made an impressive statement on the back nine, with three back-to-back birdies on 11, 12, and 13. She then dropped a shot on 14, but bounced back with a birdie on the next hole.
Reflecting on her round, she said: “It was pretty tough out there with the wind. Before the round, I wanted to just go out and try to keep a good attitude and stay as patient as possible. I knew it was going to be tough out there on a tough golf course. I was able to make some really good pars and then once the opportunities came, I was able to capitalise on them. It was a game of patience out there.
“It doesn’t really take a whole lot for things to go wrong and for the big numbers to sneak into play. I think it’s key to try and play smart and eliminate the big numbers, which I think for the most part, I did reasonably well today.”
This week, Kobori has Robbie Muir on the bag which she said has been a really positive factor for today.
She continued: “He’s been great. I’ve just mentioned about playing smart golf and he’s a big part of that, so it’s been really good. He’s been doing a good job of keeping me patient and having a few laughs out on the course. It’s always helpful. I’m looking forward to tomorrow again with him on the bag.”
A total of seven players sit in a tie for second place, including three players from Sweden, who all fired opening rounds of 68 (-3). This included Swede amateur Meja Ortengren, compatriots Linda Wessberg and Lisa Pettersson, Norway’s Madelene Stavnar, England’s Alice Hewson, France’s Nastasia Nadaud, and Spain’s Luna Sobron Galmes.
Amateur Ortengren made four birdies across the first 18 holes and dropped her only shot of the day on the 17th hole.
“I missed quite a few greens today, but I made up and down on almost every single one of them so that was good”, said the Swede. “The wind started blowing quite a lot, so I just tried to adjust as well as I could and make good decisions.”
The 20-year-old is one of three Swedes to have competed at the PING Junior Solheim Cup, lifting the prestigious trophy in both 2021 and 2023. She has also won on the LET Access Series (PGA Championship Trelleborg in 2022) as an amateur.
This week, she enjoys strong home support, with her family in attendance, her brother on the bag, and her coach. “My family haven’t seen me play golf in quite a while, so that’s quite fun too,” she said. In September, the Swede will return to Stanford University for her second year.
Wessberg started her campaign strong at her home course. The three-time LET winner has been a Hills Golf member for 15 years and is using that to her advantage this week.
“It’s extremely tough out there today. I play here a lot, but we usually don’t have this wind direction, so it’s completely new for me as well”, she said.
She is joined by her 10-year-old daughter Sigrid this week. “She just wants to go and hold hands all the time, but I need to keep her off the fairways”, she said laughing. “It’s nice as I feel more relaxed.”
Pettersson, who started the day on the 10th tee, had a mixed front and back nine, including an eagle on 18, six birdies, three bogeys, and a double-bogey, to finish strong at the end of day one.
“I think it was a really solid day, especially from the tee”, she said. “Then I missed a few short putts, but I also made a few a little bit longer, so it evens out. So I’m happy with my game. It’s very windy out there and the greens are pretty fast, so it makes it really tough to putt.”
The LET winner, who claimed her maiden tour victory at the Helsingborg Open, has once again shown her ability to perform strong on home soil.
She continued: “I think I’m just relaxed. I have my family here and I’m having fun. It’s also nice to talk to all the volunteers in Swedish. The way the courses are designed here suits my game too.”
Despite the tough conditions, Stavnar had a steady opening round in Sweden, carding five birdies across the first 18 holes.
“It was brutal out there today”, she said. “It’s a tough course without the wind, and then with the wind, it’s even tougher. I think the key today was just staying patient and to try to play more strategic and safe golf.”
The 24-year-old has her Dad on her bag this week which has been the case for the last two tournaments.
She continued: “We’re slowly getting into a rhythm. He knows when to keep quiet and also when to tell me ‘should we do this? We’ve got a good team setup.”
One shot further back are a total of three players who all sit in a tie for ninth place on two-under par, including Australia’s Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Wales’ Darcey Harry, and Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad.
Hinson-Tolchard arrived in Sweden after a five-week break at home in Australia, where she recharged with family and friends and checked in with her coach.
The rookie made an early start this morning in her opening round, capitalising on calmer conditions before strong winds swept across the back nine.
It was a steady front nine with two birdies, then on the turn she made two back-to-back birdies on 11 and 12, but dropped shots on 15 and 16.
“We were pretty lucky on the front nine”, said the 23-year-old. “It wasn’t too windy when we started off, so it was pretty easy to just stick to what I had written down in my coursebook. But then when we turned on the back nine, I had to change a couple of clubs off the tees to adjust to the wind, which was fine. I had a couple of late bogeys, which kind of was a little annoying, but, overall it was good out there, so I’m happy.”
While she was back home, she worked with her coach on a few things.
She continued: “We’re trying to get a bit more speed into my swing to hit it a little bit further. Then, we did adjust my putting a little bit. Nothing crazy but I just wanted to be careful with my pace control. Especially this week with these greens, like they’re lightning fast. My pace control was great today, my putting overall was fantastic, so it’s nice to see that what I worked on with him back home has now translated on the course.”
Hinson-Tolchard is happy to be back after spending time at home, and is ready to go for the remainder of the season.
“I was having a lot of fomo, watching everyone play on TV from back home, not being in the bigger events, and I think that’s kind of giving me a bit of motivation to kind of come back out here for the next six weeks and really have a crack at it.”
Harry had a mixed scorecard for her opening round but managed to finish with two back-to-back birdies to make it a solid start for the rookie in Sweden.
“It was really tricky today”, said the LET winner. “The wind’s very tiring out there. It’s blowing extremely hard and the greens are very quick. You have to stay very patient out there and I think sometimes you need to take risks. The wind is super strong, so you just have to be really bold with your decisions and really stick to it.”
Fellow rookie Amelia Garvey was drawn with Harry, a close friend of hers on Tour.
Harry continued: “We were so excited when we found out we were playing together. We’re staying together this week and were so excited when we got drawn. It was just a really chilled atmosphere out there today and it was lovely.”
Before arriving in Gothenburg, the 22-year-old spent time in Scandinavia supporting her boyfriend, Jacob Skov Olesen, as he competed in the Danish Golf Championship on the DP World Tour.
“I feel like I’ve been here for ages now, but it’s been really good. I think the course Jacob was playing at was very different, but it’s always interesting to watch the men’s game. They hit it so different, and I learn a lot from watching them play.”
Heading into the weekend, the rookie definitely sees this golf course as a marathon. “Anything can happen at any time”, she said. “I think if you need to keep a patient mindset because it is difficult out there.”
LPGA rookie also joins Harry in T9, having also made birdies on the last two holes. The Swede has played this course before however it was back in 2016.
“I think it was going to be pretty tough out there”, said the Swede. “I think the course is tough to begin with and then add a lot of wind on that makes it even more challenging.”
Lindblad has played this course before but a while back in 2016, and was impressed by the course condition and layout.
Heading into this week, the 25-year-old has been struggling with her driver the last couple of months. She continued: “I had two weeks off before this, and we wanted to work a little bit on it, and I think today, I probably hit the driver the best I have in the last two or three months.”
Round two of the Hills Open continues tomorrow, with the first two groups going out at 8am (local time).
Follow all the action throughout the tournament on our socials – @LETgolf on Instagram, TikTok and X, and Ladies European Tour on YouTube and Facebook –#HillsOpen.
