Chun streaks to record lead

Brilliant 64 puts major winner ahead five shots

BETHESDA, Md. — In Gee Chun is alone atop the Women’s PGA Championship following a sensational start.

In fact, no player has ever been further ahead after 18 holes at a women’s major.

Chun breezed to an 8-under 64 on Thursday to take a five-stroke advantage after the first round at Congressional. While most of the field slogged through the day on the wet Blue Course, Chun birdied seven of eight holes during one stretch. She was seven shots ahead when she finished her round and ended tying a record for the largest 18-hole lead at a major.

Mickey Wright led this tournament by five after the first round in 1961.

“I don’t know what golf course In Gee is playing,” defending champion Nelly Korda said after finishing her round of 71.

Chun was playing the same course as everyone else — one that went through a full restoration last year. There was heavy rain in the area overnight and more precipitation during play Thursday morning. That softened the course but also made Congressional’s length — 6,809 yards for this first round — more of a factor.

No big deal for Chun, a two-time major winner.

“The course, after a lot of rain, feels longer,” the 27-year-old South Korean said. “At the same time, greens were softer. So I think it was just a balance.”

Although there was plenty of golf left to play, Chun’s lead turned heads.

“I can’t stop staring at the leaderboard,” Justin Thomas tweeted. “Leading by 7 halfway thru day 1!!!!”

Pornanong Phatlum and Hye-Jin Choi shot bogey-free rounds of 69 to cut Chun’s lead to five, but that was still a big enough advantage to tie Wright’s mark. The 1961 tournament was one of a record four victories by Wright at this event. Chun is trying for her first.

Chun set a major championship record — for men or women — when she won the Evian Championship in 2016 at 21 under. She also won the U. S. Women’s Open the previous year.