Hye-Jin Choi birdied her final two holes late Thursday afternoon for a 7-under 64 and a one-stroke lead in the Dana Open for Children.
Choi had seven birdies in the bogey-free round at Highland Meadows, finishing with the birdies on the par-3 eighth and par-4 ninth. She putted well after struggling a day earlier in the pro-am round.
“I hit it too hard yesterday, so I try more stroke soft and more like tempo,” said Choi, the 24-year-old South Korean player who is winless on the LPGA Tour. “Focusing more tempo.”
She had four straight birdies – on the par-5 17th and 18th, par-4 first and par-3 second – and also birdied the par-4 fifth.
“I like it here, but this course, I feel not really easy,” Choi said.
Xiyu “Janet” Lin of China, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 15, was tied for second with Aditi Ashok of India. They played in the same afternoon group with defending champion Linn Grant, also opening on No. 10.
Lin holed out twice from bunkers.
“Almost like two impossible shots to hole out,” she said. “That’s a bit of luck.”
Lin and Ashok also are winless on the LPGA Tour.
“I really like the golf course,” Ashok said. “It’s something similar to what I grew up on, tree-lined and smaller greens. That’s kind of how it was when I grew up back in India.
Chanettee Wannasaen was another stroke back at 66 with fellow Thai player Natthakritta Vongtaveelap and South Africa’s Paula Reto. Wannasaen played alongside Choi.
Grant and Stacy Lewis were at 67. The 39-year-old Lewis won the last of her 13 LPGA Tour titles in 2020.
“Really excited.” Lewis said. “It’s probably most number of birdies I made in a round in a very long time. It’s nice to see a little bit of progress. And putted it really nicely.”
Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was the low Canadian after an even round of 71.