AMERICANS CROWD OPEN LEADERBOARD Beth Ann Nichols
KING SB ARNS, MiS COTLAND chelle Wie compared the coastal views at Kingsbarns Golf Links to her native Hawaii. An unusual comparison to be sure 6 miles from the Auld Grey Toon, but it did feel an awful lot like paradise on Day 1 of the Ricoh Women’s British Open.
Wie took advantage of tame, sunny conditions at Kingsbarns on Thursday to post an 8-under-par 64 and leads a major championship for the first time since she won the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.
“I think Kingsbarns is definitely one of the most scenic golf courses I’ve ever played on,” Wie said. “You definitely get lost in the views out there.”
The leaderboard is awash in red, white and blue, though not all the names will be familiar to casual golf fans. Lindy Duncan, a college player of the year at Duke who is playing in her first Women’s British Open, shot 66.
Lexi Thompson shot 67. Morgan Pressel posted a 68, her best round since late June, as did Ally McDonald and Jaye Marie Green. Cristie Kerr, who has shown good form of late, added a 69.
“It’s definitely one of the best golf courses I’ve ever played,” Pressel said. “It’s gorgeous but a great test of golf.”
Pressel hasn’t cracked the top 20 since the ShopRite LPGA Classic on June 4. While the Solheim Cup looms, Pressel simply wants to ride the momentum of a fine opening round.
“It’s been a struggle this year,” she said, “and I just really would love to continue to play well this week. That’s my plan, not really too much worried about Solheim.”
Wie withdrew from the U.S. Women’s Open with neck spams and went to New York, where she had an epidural and a block injection. She didn’t pick up a club until the day before she left to play in the Aberdeen Asset Ladies Scottish Open.
“I’m pretty confident out there that my neck is going to hold up,” Wie said. “It’s just a couple of times, it’s so hard here, it’s just sometimes it feels like you’re hitting into concrete. It kind of vibrates a little bit, but it’s never to the point where there’s pain or anything, so I feel extremely lucky.”
Wie skulled a lob wedge straight over the green from the “perfect spot” on the second hole and made bogey. She got angry after that and “nuked” her next drive. A birdie on the fourth hole from 15 feet sent her sailing. She carded six birdies in her last eight holes.
Wie’s last three starts in the Open can be summed up in five letters: CUT-WD-CUT. In the past, Wie said, she has tried to change too much about her game to fit links golf. Competing in last week’s Scottish Open helped her to acclimate to a style of golf the creative player has grown to love.
Will she tune in for the afternoon coverage and hope that the wind kicks up?
“No, I actually don’t watch golf,” she said. “I’ll probably take a nap for sure.”