Moriya three behind leader in Arkansas
Thai three strokes behind Korean rookie Park, Pornanong also impresses on opening day
>> ROGERS: Moriya Jutanugarn hit a five-under-par 66 in the first round to stay three shots off the lead at the NW Arkansas Championship on Friday.
The Thai had six birdies and one bogey and was tied for fifth with Americans Stacy Lewis and Juli Inkster, Katherine Kirk of Australia and Felicity Johnson of England.
Compatriot Pornanong Phatlum also had a good start with a 67.
Park Sung-Hyun rolled i n six straight birdies as she rode a hot putter to a 63 and a two-shot lead.
The LPGA Tour rookie ended her birdie run with her only bogey of the day late on the front nine before fashioning three more birdies on the back nine.
She maintained the lead despite hitting just eight of 13 fairways.
“My play was best with putter today, very good,” Park said.
The opening round was delayed for nearly an hour because of poor weather.
Three players were two shots adrift of Park — fellow South Korean Ryu So-Yeon, England’s Mel Reid and Ally McDonald of England.
“I wasn’t really surprised to see how well Park is [playing],” Ryu said.
“Even last year, she played a few LPGA tournaments as a non-member, but she would finish top-five, top-10. I think she is a really great golfer, and it’s a matter of how comfortable she is on the tour.”
Park is one of two rookies in the top four as Reid shot a 65 to post her low round of the season.
Reid, who missed the cut in her last three tournaments, birdied five of her first seven holes.
A hole-in-one at the par-three 11th moved her to eight under, but she made bogey on two of the final seven holes.
Ryu shot a bogey-free 65 while carding a half dozen birdies. McDonald finished with seven birdies and a bogey.
Defending champion and world No.2 Lydia Ko made a 70.
The New Zealander recently lost the top spot to Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn who is not playing in Arkansas.