Conners off to good start in Presidents Cup bid
It’s last call to make an impression before next week’s Presidents Cup captain’s picks and Canada’s Corey Conners made the most of the opening round at the WGC HSBC Champions in China.
Conners held the lead for most of Thursday at Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai, before finishing his round with a bogey to shoot a fiveunder-par 67. The 27-year-old will begin the second round of the limited field, no-cut event in a tie for seventh.
Conners finished his first nine with three consecutive birdies, before making the turn and promptly eagling the second hole.
Local favourite Haotong Li leads at 8 under. Li has already earned a spot in the Presidents Cup through the qualifying points system.
Fellow Canadian Adam Hadwin shot a two-over 74 on Thursday, but entered the tournament as a leading contender for a one of Els’ picks.
Conners is coming off three top15 finishes and is in a tough battle for one of the four selections against Jason Day, Sungjae Im, Byeong-hun An and Hadwin.
Defending champion Nelly Korda and Mi Jung Hur both scrambled to shoot 6-under 66 on Thursday to share the first-round lead at the Swinging Skirts in New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Korda overcame three bogeys with seven birdies and an eagle in rainy, gusty conditions at the Miramar Golf Country Club.
Hur, of South Korea, completed a bogey-free round despite hitting only six of 14 fairways.
Australia’s Minjee Lee sat one shot behind the leaders after shooting a 67, while four others were two strokes off the pace and six more were within three of the lead.
Canada’s Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp both shot 71 to sit at 1 under, five shots off the pace.