Ariya one shot off lead at Founders Cup
France’s Icher, Korean Choi in front after windy opening day in Phoenix
>> PHOENIX: Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn shot a four-under-par 68 in the first round on Thursday to stay joint third at the LPGA Founders Cup.
The 22-year-old from Bangkok was tied with South Koreans Park HeeYoung and Park In-Bee, Americans Cydney Clanton and Lizette Salas, and Mariajo Uribe of Colombia.
The Thai is attempting to capture her first title of the year and seventh overall.
She was one shot behind the pacesetting pair of France’s Karine Icher and South Korea’s Chella Choi, who both ended the opening day with fiveunder 67s.
In chilly, windy weather Icher teed off early and got off to a blazing start with five birdies in her first eight holes.
She added birdies at 11 and 14 to get to seven-under, but as the wind increased she failed in her bid to avoid bogeys on the 15th and 18th holes.
“I made some good putts and that made the difference,” Icher said after the opening round on Thursday.
“I hit good second shots. On this course, if you start getting confidence you can go low.
“It was a good front nine. On the back nine, I made two bogeys at the end, but with the wind picking up, it’s a little bit hard.”
Icher, who owns 45 top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour, is seeking her first title.
Choi lit up the leaderboard in the afternoon.
The South Korean star teed off on the 10th and had four birdies in her first five holes en route to claiming a share of the lead.
After two more birdies coming in she made her lone bogey of the day at her final hole, three-putting the ninth.
“It was windy and tough every hole out there,” Choi said. “Every player was in the same position, I tried to calm myself and control myself.”
Eight players on 69 i ncluded American Jessica Korda, who won two weeks ago in Thailand, and defending champion Anna Nordqvist of Sweden.
Nordqvist made f our birdies against just one bogey at her last to post a 69 to open her title defence.