Ontario’s Henderson opens with strong round in major Pinehurst No. 2 test
OTTAWA — Brooke Henderson started strongly in the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open on the Pinehurst No. 2 golf course in North Carolina before tailing off on the final few holes.
The world’s No. 3-ranked amateur finished the day with a 71 — one-over par.
Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., is tied for 11th overall in a large group that also includes fellow Canadian Sue Kim, of Langley, B.C.
Stacy Lewis made it around Pinehurst No. 2 without a bogey Thursday in the opening round of the U.S. Women’s Open, and that put her in the lead.
Lewis managed to keep the stress at a minimum on a steamy morning in the North Carolina sandhills for a 3-under 67, giving her a oneshot lead over Michelle Wie when the opening round was halted because of storms in the area.
“It was such an easy day,” Lewis said, referring to her game more than the golf course. “I played really, really solid, other that I had to make a few par putts.
“But other than that, I didn’t put myself in too bad of spots and made a few birdies.”
Wie made four birdies on the back nine, and a 10-foot par save on the par-3 17th hole, for a 68.
Former Women’s Open champion So Yeon Ryu, Katherine Kirk and 18-year- old amateur Minjee Lee were at 69.
The show belonged to Lucy Li, the 11-year-old from the Bay Area who became the youngest qualifier in U.S. Women’s Open history. She missed only one fairway and was rarely out of position.
Li made one triple bogey and two double bogeys, ending the day with a 78.
Lydia Ko, Cristie Kerr and defending champion Inbee Park all struggled, each of them shooting rounds of 76.
Rounding out the Canadians in the field are: Jessica Wallace, of Vancouver, who shot a 74 and is tied for 50th; amateur Elizabeth Tong, of Thornhill, Ont., at 76; and Rebecca Lee-Bentham, of Richmond Hill, Ont., who shot a 78.
Henderson said after her round that she was “having fun out there.
“I had it rolling for a little while, a couple birdies, one on the par-5 and one on the par-3 right after. Just made a couple of little silly mistakes coming in that I’ll correct tomorrow.
“Being up there closer to the leaderboard was definitely fun and hopefully I’ll put a good round together tomorrow and make the cut.”
For one brief moment Thursday, during her first nine, Henderson was atop the leaderboard, on the strength of three birdies and a bogey.
But, with four bogeys and only one birdie on the back nine, she slid back.