Henderson starts strong at LPGA major

KILDEER, Illinois — South Korea’s Sung Hyun Park shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

The 2017 U.S. Women’s Open Champion birdied three of the four par-5 holes at Kemper Lakes in the third of the LPGA Tour’s five majors.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson, the 2016 KPMG winner and runner-up last year, was a stroke back with Jessica Korda, Jaye Marie Green and Brittany Altomore.

The 24-year-old Park won the weather-shortened LPGA Texas Classic in May, but followed that with three missed cuts and a tie for 61st last week in Arkansas. After a switch in putters, she believes she is rounding back into form. The long-hitting Park birdied the par-5 15th to reach 5-under and parred the tough final three holes, finishing with a short putt on 18.

“I felt like something little was missing, especially my putting,” Park said through an interpreter. “But this week, I [feel] comfortable.”

The course favours long hitters, and that’s just fine with Korda.

She has five tour victories and her sights set on becoming the second member of her family to capture a major championship. Her father, Petr Korda, won tennis’ Australian Open in 1998.

“Finally, a golf course that benefits the long-hitters,” Korda said. “The last couple of weeks it’s definitely been a lot of 3-woods or even 4-irons off the tees, so this is really, really nice.”

Michelle Wie shot 71. U.S. Women’s Open champion Ariya Jutanugarn had an even-par 72.