Feng leads U.S. Women’s Open
Lightning causes delays, first round suspended by darkness
BEDMINSTER, N.J. — Shanshan Feng shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 and held a one-shot lead over Amy Yang on Thursday when the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open at a quiet Trump National Golf Club was suspended by darkness.
Despite complaints over playing the biggest event in women’s golf on a course owned by President Donald Trump, there were no apparent protests Thursday over his comments about women. The road outside the club was relatively traffic-free and those in attendance were there for the golf.
The only problem was the weather. Lightning delayed play for 2 hours, 5 minutes late in the afternoon and 30 players were still on the course when the horn sounded to stop play for the day at 8:33 p.m. Play was scheduled to resume at 7 a.m. today.
Lydia Ko played in the same threesome with Feng and finished at 68 along with top-ranked So Yeon Ryu, the only two-time winner this year on the LPGA Tour. Carlota Ciganda also was 4 under with a hole left.
Feng started her round on the 10th hole and played the back side in 5 under, rolling in five birdies. The Chinese star added another at No. 1 and then parred her last eight holes.
Yang has two seconds, a third and a fourth in the event in the last five years. She had six birdies and a bogey.
Former Open winner Cristie Kerr and Megan Khang were the best U.S. finishers, tied at 69. Amateur Rachel Heck, the 15-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, who is the youngster player in the field, also was at 3 under with five holes to play.
In Silvis, Ill., Charles Howell III and Ollie Schniederjans each shot 8-under 63 to share the firstround
lead.
Playing alongside local favorite Zach Johnson, Howell birdied seven his first nine holes and added a birdie on No. 7 in his morning round at rain-softened TPC Deere Run.
SENIOR PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP: In Owings Mills, Md., Larry Mize birdied half the holes and shot an 8-under 64 for a onestroke lead over Bernhard Langer, Corey Pavin and Steve Flesch after the opening round.
Seeking his second win on the PGA Tour Champions, the 58-year-old Mize was 5 under after the front nine. He made his only bogey on the par-4 10th hole, but rebounded with birdies on 14, 15 and 16.
SCOTTISH OPEN: In Irvine, Scotland, Rickie Fowler rolled in five birdies at Dundonald Links to shoot a 5-under 67 in the first round. He was in a six-way tie for second place, two shots behind Mikko Ilonen.
Fowler, who won the Scottish Open when it was held at Gullane, missed the 2016 tournament because of scheduling conflicts arising from the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, which clogged up the golfing calendar last summer.
“I would have loved to have been here,” he said. “Coming off winning the year before, I love playing links golf and I love playing the week before a major. It was tough to miss it.
“I’m just glad to be back.”