World No. 1 has one-shot lead after opening round of JTBC Classic
The 26-year-old Korean shot a 7-under 65 Thursday to take a one-shot lead over Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen after the first round of the LPGA’s JTBC Classic at Aviara Golf Club.
“I said, ‘Do you know how much a house is here?’ And then she said, ‘Yeah, how much?’ And I said a lot. She said, “OK. That’s it.’”But there is nothing to laugh about when it comes to Ko’s game. Although this is her first U.S. tournament of the year, Ko comes to the JTPC ranked No. 1 in the world and is coming off her 13th career win at the HSBC World Championship in Singapore.
“I love playing golf right now. … I’m really enjoying it. I can focus myself, shot by shot. I can feel 100 percent confidence and I can focus 100 percent. My mental is strong after Singapore.” “The wind was really swirling,” said Knight, who birdied 17 after suffering her lone bogey on the par-four 16th.One of five players tied for sixth at 68, 33-year-old Canadian Maude-Aimee Leblanc, had the most interesting round of the day. She didn’t have a par until the 12th hole, opening with nine birdies and two bogeys. She birdied No. 16 to go seven under before finishing with a double bogey and a bogey.
The 25-year-old Uriell, who was the low-scoring local in the first round, has played the Aviara course for 14 years. “This is where I really got started,” she said. She was 4 under until bogeying the final hole.“I was just trying to hit in the 60s today,” she said. “These greens are really tricky, so I didn’t expect to make a lot of putts.