Amy-zing start
Experienced South Korean stays calm and charges to the front
South Korea’s Amy Yang looks pleased after carding a bogey-free eight-under 63 to grab the first-round lead in the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia at the TPC Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Amy is two strokes clear of unheralded American Marina Alex.
SOUTH Korea’s Amy Yang must love playing in the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia.
Having played in all six previous editions – and finishing no worse than joint 26th – the 27-year-old marked her seventh appearance with a bang.
The two-time US LPGA Tour winner fired a bogey-free eight-under 63 to grab the firstround lead at the TPC Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Amy carded eight birdies – including four in the last six holes – to go two strokes clear of unheralded American Marina Alex.
China’s Feng Shanshan, a winner here in 2014, bounced back from back-to-back double bogey on the 14th and 15th by firing two straight birdies in the next two holes to share third spot on five-under 66 with Norway’s Suzann Petersen, Spain’s Azhara Munoz and Americans Jenny Shin and Michelle Wie.
Clearly the day belonged to Amy, whose opening day score was just a shot shy of her own tournament record of 62, which she shot in the second round in 2013 on her way to her best-ever result of fifth spot. But Amy’s not bothered. “I didn’t think of it. I just focused on one shot at a time, just kept it simple out there and had a great day,” said Amy.
“I hit a lot of solid shots and my putting was really good today ... (there were) so many excellent putts.
“I enjoy playing in South-East Asia. I’d rather play in this weather than cold weather.
“There’s a lot of golf to be played over the next three days, so I’m just going to keep it simple.”
As for Alex, not many may know her. Well, they will now. The world No. 118, who has only four career top-10 finishes, made sure of that after trading seven birdies against a bogey for a six-under 65.
Alex credited her hot putter for the solid opening round.
“I putted great,” she said. “I just worked a little bit on it (the putting) yesterday (Wednesday) ... the stuff that I was working on really felt good on the course and I holed a bunch of putts.
“Some are 20 to 30-footers, so it was really nice to see some long putts go in.”
A surprise name among the pacesetters must be Wie, a popular figure among Malaysian golf fans and who’s competing on a sponsor’s invite.
Wie, who has yet to win since her 2014 US Women’s Open triumph, looks to have rediscovered her form of late.
“I just had fun out there today,” said Wie, who enjoyed a season-best result of joint 10th at the Blue Bay LPGA in China last week.
“I love playing with Marina (Alex), she’s a really good friend of mine and she was great today ... and just kind of feed off each other’s energy.”
In the battle between world No. 1 Lydia Ko and world No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn, it was the Thai who enjoyed the bragging rights on the opening day.
Ariya posted a 68 top be tied for 12th while Lydia is bunched in joint 30th alongside defending champion Jessica Korda following a 71.