Hamilton’s Sharp is hovering in 5th, 4 strokes back, Down Under

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA — Karrie Webb’s bid for a sixth Women’s Australian Open title began with a 5-under 67 at The Grange, leaving her two strokes behind first-round leaders Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Wei-Ling Hsu.

English player Ewart Shadoff had a bogey-free 65 in calm morning weather Thursday which included four consecutive birdies from the seventh through 10th holes. Hsu had it tougher in the afternoon but still managed five back-nine birdies.

Ewart Shadoff is ranked 59th in the world and has made steady improvement in recent years without winning a tournament as a professional. She has twice represented Europe in the Solheim Cup.

Alena Sharp of Hamilton is four strokes off the lead after shooting a 69, leaving her in a tie for 12th. Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee shot an even-par 72, while Brittany Marchand of Orangeville and Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City are at 1 over.

Webb has not played full-time since 2017. She spent four months in Australia last year at her Townsville, north Queensland home base, and when she teed it up last week in Barwon Heads in the Vic Open, it was her first competitive outing for almost eight months.

The 44-year-old Webb played just eight tournaments last year and missed the cut in the U.S. Open and British Open. She won previous Australian Opens in 2000, ’02, ’07, ’08 and ’14.

Webb, who was tied for third with Madelene Sagstrom and Bronte Law, started on the back nine Thursday and was 4-under through eight holes.

Her only bogey came on the par-4 sixth hole.