SYLVANIA, Ohio — Chinese language rookie Ruoning Yin turned her irritation over a bogey into six birdies over her final 10 holes Thursday for a 6-under 65 and a three-way tie for the lead within the Dana Open.
Hye-Jin Choi, who like Yin earned her LPGA Tour card final yr for the primary time, and Carlota Ciganda of Spain additionally had 65 at Highland Meadow.
The massive group at 66 included Lexi Thompson, Lydia Ko and Leona Maguire of Eire.
The 19-year-old Yin has been dealing with a wrist damage and missed 4 straight cuts on the LPGA Tour. Her final look was in mid-July, although she performed two Epson Tour occasions.
Her one purpose was to play bogey-free, and that ended on the par-3 eighth gap.
“I used to be so mad after that,” she stated. “I simply tried to make some birdies.”
Choi, of South Korea, did most of her work early within the spherical and was poised to take the lead till she needed to accept pars on the back-to-back par 5s at Highland Meadow. Ciganda performed within the morning and completed her spherical with a two-putt birdie on the 18th.
Maguire returned to an space that introduced good reminiscences. She performed a few of her finest golf at Inverness final summer time in main Europe to victory within the Solheim Cup. Her return to the Toledo space included a brand new set of irons.
“It isn’t like me to alter,” Maguire stated. “I have been house for a pair weeks, did some testing whereas I used to be house. … They felt good in observe, so figured it was nearly as good a time as any to present them a check go.”
Ko is a two-time winner who has purpose to really feel she ought to have three. She had the match gained two years in the past when she gave away a late lead after which chunked a chip that rolled again into the bunker on the 18th, resulting in bogey and a runner-up end.
Nonetheless, the Kiwi star has nothing however optimistic vibes at Highland Meadows.
“It is at all times good to return again to a spot that you have performed effectively at. I’ve had good finishes exterior of successful, so it is good to sort of draw again on these reminiscences,” she stated.
Her two wins have been in 2014 and 2016.
“However on the similar time, my recreation has modified rather a lot I believe over the previous couple of years, so I really feel like I am enjoying some holes rather a lot in a different way,” Ko stated. “So simply making an attempt to play the very best golf I can with how I am enjoying proper now. “
U.S. Ladies’s Open champion Minjee Lee, who leads the Race to the CME Globe, was within the group at 67. Defending champion Nasa Hataoka opened with a 69.
Paula Creamer performed her first LPGA Tour occasion as a mother. In her first competitors in additional than a yr, Creamer opened with a birdie. That was the lone spotlight as she posted a 40 on the again 9 on her method to a 77.
One other new mother, Azahara Munoz of Spain, opened with a 72. Munoz additionally has been dealing with an autoimmune thyroid situation that she believes is now below management.
Among the many three dozen gamers who shot within the 60s was Lucy Li, who opened with a 68. Li, finest recognized for taking part in the U.S. Ladies’s Open when she was 11, already has an LPGA card locked up for subsequent yr by the Epson Tour.
Gianna Clemente had a 73. The 14-year-old Ohio native was a Monday qualifier in Canada final week, and he or she made it by Monday qualifying in opposition to for the Dana Open.
