Na Yeon Choi takes 1-shot lead at US Women’s Open
July 10, 2009
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP)—The U.S. Women’s Open has the makings of a thrilling drama— even if an LPGA Tour hierarchy controversy keeps intruding.
Two of the biggest names in women’s golf are just off the lead; arecord-setting 14-year-old amateur is just strokes behind; a qualifier from theLPGA’s developmental tour is in the mix; and the first-round leader is feelingawfully comfortable on a tough course that yields few birdies and fewerunder-par rounds.
And that’s after Thursday’s opening round at Saucon Valley Country Club.
Na Yeon Choi of South Korea birdied her first three holes, and four of herfirst five, racing to an opening round 3-under 68 for a one-stroke lead.
“I know it’s a difficult course, but I was really excited to start my roundand I thought it was going to be a very, very interesting week for me,” the21-year-old Choi said through an interpreter.
That excitement could get contagious.
Right behind are No. 1-ranked Lorena Ochoa, 2007 champion Cristie Kerr andqualifier Jean Reynolds, who each opened with 2-under 69s. Hee Young Park, alsoof South Korea, was another stroke back.
But just as the golf moved to the fore, the controversy swirling around thewomen’s tour reappeared. There were reports Thursday that LPGA commissionerCarolyn Bivens could be out of her job as early as next week after a faction ofkey players called for her resignation.
Just as Choi was completing her round, Golf Digest and Golfweek Magazine,citing sources, reported on their Web sites that Bivens’ four-year tenure withthe tour is coming to an end.
With decisions of when and how Bivens leaves the LPGA Tour as the seeminglyonly remaining questions, all eyes might now turn to golf.
And the drama promises to be compelling as Ochoa and Choi chase their firstWomen’s Open title, and Kerr aims for her second championship crown.
“Patience is the No. 1 thing you have to have this week,” Ochoa said.
Saucon Valley yielded few birdies, and just five sub-par rounds. Yet Choi, afour-time winner in international events, seems comfortable.
Playing in her second Open, Choi easily navigated the narrow fairways andspeedy, undulating greens. She relied on accurate approach shots throughout andreached 5-under by her 12th hole, before backing up. Starting on the back nine,Choi had consecutive bogeys on the 409-yard, par-4 fifth, and 559-yard, par-5sixth before closing with three pars.
“I think being here for the second time, being on the Tour for two yearsnow, I think I find it much more comfortable,” Choi said. “I now understandbetter about the magnitude of this U.S. Women’s Open, and to be honest, I thinkI’m much more comfortable playing on this tour and these golf courses than I doin Korea, so, you know, everything is good for me.”
Ochoa offset two early bogeys with two birdies on her first nine and thenmoved below par with consecutive birdies at Nos. 2 and 3.
The Mexican star had her best start in an opening round at the Open sincebeing ninth after the first day in 2003.
“It’s always hard, you have to be 100 percent at 7:30 in the morning,” shesaid. “I’m just glad I beat it today, and will try to do the same tomorrow.”
Kerr used her knowledge and confidence of being a former Women’s Openchampion on the challenging Old Course, draining birdie putts of 15, 12 and 8feet.
Na Yeon Choi of South Korea, t… AP – Jul 9, 6:47 pm EDT
“I’m an Open champion, I know what to expect,” Kerr said. “You have totake what the course gives you at a U.S. Open. You try and be aggressive whenyou can and most of the time you can’t be.”
Reynolds, a two-time winner on the Futures Tour and the leading money winneron the LPGA’s developmental tour, had four birdies and two bogeys. She had achance to take sole possession of the lead, but missed a birdie putt at the18th.
She’s enjoying the ride.
“I was pretty nervous,” Reynolds said. “It was a good feeling, but thenagain, coming in under the radar and leading at the U.S. Open after the firstround is pretty awesome.”
Alexis Thompson, a 14-year-old amateur is in a good position to make thecut. She is the low amateur after a first-round 71, her finest showing in thefirst round after missing the cut the last two years. The teenager from CoralSprings, Fla., is the reigning U.S. Girls Junior champ. In 2007, she was theyoungest Women’s Open qualifier in history.
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