Ashleigh Buhai and Yan Liu have produced nine-under opening rounds to take the early lead on the LA Championship, the place Hannah Inexperienced’s hunt for a 3rd straight title has began with a stumble.
Buhai carded a bogey-free 63, whereas Liu holed a brief eagle putt on the par-5 sixteenth gap to hitch the South African atop the first-round leaderboard.
Australia’s Inexperienced has gained the previous two editions of the occasion, gathering $US562,500 ($A880,000) for her win at Wilshire Golf Membership in 2024.
However, with this 12 months’s event shifting to the El Caballero Nation Membership, Inexperienced struggled early.
The 2-time defending champion, who began on the again 9, crashed to 2 over after bogeying her third and fifth holes.
She instantly recovered with 4 straight birdies, in the end ending tied forty fourth at three-under 69.
“I used to be again in Australia the final two weeks, so I feel I am mentally in an excellent state,” Inexperienced mentioned previous to the event.
“It is a good course … there’s going to be some robust holes, simpler holes. It is a good mixture.
“I’ve had plenty of volunteers and different individuals within the crowd say they’re hoping for me to do a three-peat, clearly I might like to have my identify in historical past, however I do not wish to put an excessive amount of stress on myself.”
Inexperienced is elevating cash on the event to assist fund fire-recovery efforts in Los Angeles, donating $US500 for every birdie and $US1,000 for each eagle.
“There’s individuals who aren’t going to be in their very own home for years. So although the fires have stopped, there’s nonetheless plenty of ache that persons are struggling,” she mentioned.
“Hopefully it brings some consciousness … California has been such a particular place to my coronary heart.”
Sweden’s Frida Kinhult birdied the final three holes to say third place at 64.
Minjee Lee was the very best of the Australians on day one of many occasion, guaranteeing she remained within the combine with six birdies.
Lee is tied fifteenth at five-under 67, whereas compatriots Inexperienced, Steph Kyriacou and Cassie Porter are an extra two strokes behind however above the projected minimize line.
AAP
