What a start to the LPGA Dow Championship in Michigan! The pairing of Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh and Australian rookie Cassie Porter absolutely lit up the course on Thursday, carding a fantastic four-under-par 66 to seize the lead after the first round.
Starting strong on the 10th hole at Midland Country Club, this dynamic duo quickly found their rhythm, racking up four birdies in their first nine holes. Despite a minor hiccup with their only bogey of the day on the second hole, they immediately bounced back with a birdie on the par-five third, ultimately finishing the day a single stroke ahead of a very packed leaderboard. Their impressive run included a fantastic stretch of three consecutive birdies from the 14th to the 16th, highlighted by a clever chip-in from Porter!
Six other formidable teams are hot on their heels, tied for second place at three-under 67. Among them, the Japanese duo of Saki Baba and Yuri Yoshida had a brilliant start, reaching five-under after 14 holes, but a couple of late bogeys brought them back to the pack.
The chasing group also includes China’s Liu Yan and Zhang Yahui, the English-Taiwanese pair of Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Heather Lin, South Koreans Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi, American powerhouses Megan Khang and Lexi Thompson, and the strong pairing of American Jennifer Kupcho and Ireland’s Leona Maguire.
Even the defending champions, Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and China’s Yin Ruoning, are in the mix. After an early bogey, they rallied with three birdies to post a two-under 68, placing them in a seven-way tie for eighth. It looks like this pairs event is going to be a thrilling contest right down to the wire!
Discussion about this post