Ally Ewing fired an opening round of 68 (-4) to lead by one stroke at the end of the first day of the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath.
On a sun-soaked Thursday, it was tight at the top of the leaderboard as the players got to grips with the testing course at the final major of the year.
It was three-time LPGA Tour winner Ewing who posted the round of the day making three bogeys, five birdies, and an eagle to be on four-under-par.
“Obviously, it was exciting to get in with a good first round,” said the American. “A long way to go until Sunday.
“It’s great to put a good first round together, but major championship golf, you can never really lose focus. I’ll get some food and get a good night’s sleep and come back and take on the next day.
“I was expecting wind. When you come to Europe, you expect wind. It’s not a shock to the system or anything that there was wind, but getting around in four-under, regardless of the conditions, I’m very happy.
“[On the eagle] It’s kind of funny, I missed my drive just a little bit right, it got hung up in the rough, and it was a situation where the ball was sitting down a little bit. I happened to see both my playing competitors hit shots and noticed how firm it was up in front of the green.
“I actually was able to learn a little bit there and it was kind of gouge-type shot and I just let it chase, and it just so happened to chase to like five feet. You’re trying to give yourself an eagle chance, and it just so happened to be a five-footer. I’m definitely happy to walk away with an eagle.”
Five players sit in a share of second place on three-under-par after round one at Walton Heath including 2020 Race to Costa del Sol champion Emily Kristine Pedersen.
The Danish star dropped a shot on the second hole but made an eagle on the 10th before adding birdies on 12 and 16 for her round of 69 (-3).
“I feel good,” said Pedersen. “I kind of went slow in the beginning of the round, and then I holed out on 10 and that started a bit of momentum, and I rode that wave a bit, so it was nice. It was the kick-start of the momentum.
“I hit it really close on nine but missed the putt. It was like six feet and then obviously holing out on the next kind of boosted the mood and kept me going. I was a little bit unsure how I was going to play. It played quite soft and played pretty firm today, I think. I was trying to do my best on every shot.
“I try to say the Solheim Cup is not on my mind, but it’s always back there. I try and tell myself that if I just concentrate on doing a good job every day and putting in the work that it will sort itself out. Obviously, it’s no secret that I want to be there. I know I can win points, but I’m trying to just focus one day at a time.”
Pedersen sits in T2 alongside Korean duo Jeongeun Lee6 and Amy Yang, France’s Perrine Delacour and Thailand’s Jaravee Boonchant.
Yang had quite the scorecard on the first day with one double bogey, two bogeys, five birdies and an eagle for her round of 69 (-3).
The Korean star, who has won three times on the LET, said: “I was very excited about this event, and I prepared for this tournament. All I try to do is just get out there, enjoy being out there and do my best.
“The eagle score-wise was very helpful, but I got a little lucky on my second shot. My ball was sitting above my feet, and I had to grip down my 5-iron, and I was expecting to hit a little fade shot, but I actually came off drawing. Everything was going left-to-right, so I got lucky and got to the pin closer.”
One shot further back, there are a group of 12 players who are all in tie for seventh place on two-under-par including Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux.
Seven-time LET winner Ciganda said: “It was a pretty solid round. I think under par in any major, any round, it’s a great score. I had a good tee time this morning, so it was not very windy.
“The last few holes were a little bit more, but I feel I played very solid, I was very disciplined off the tee and hitting good shots. I’m very happy. I haven’t looked at my stats, but I was very present in each shot, so I thought I was really good, and then I think off the tee I was good.”
The second round begins at 6.30 am (local time) and there will be a cut to top-65 and ties at the end of the day.
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