Arpichaya soars in Shanghai

Thai ace lights up Qizhong with 64

Shanghai: Arpichaya Yubol shot a bogey-free eight-under-par 64 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the LPGA Shanghai tournament.

The 23-year-old Thai had four birdies on each of the front and back nines on the par-72 Qizhong Garden Golf Club.

Minjee Lee, who won the Women’s PGA Championship in June for her third major title, was in a group of five, a stroke behind. Thai world No.1 Jeeno Thitikul, Jenny Shin, Jenny Bae and Ina Yoon also shot 65s.

Another Thai Patty Tavatankit hit a 69 to share 17th place with nine other players while defending champion Yin Ruoning of China shot a 71.

Lee said she navigated the difficult bumpy greens at Qizhong as best she could with her broomstick-style putter. Most of the greens are brown and patchy due to the extreme heat and humidity of Shanghai.

“I feel like with how the greens are, the conditions, I managed pretty well to make, what, seven birdies, so it was a nice day for me,” the Australian said.

The Shanghai event is the first of five tournaments in Asia. There are two weeks in South Korea, including the International Crown team event, and other tournaments in Malaysia and Japan.

Last week, Hwang You-Min extended the incredible streak on the LPGA of having different winners at each of the 25 official tournaments this year. Hwang was the sixth player from South Korea to win on the LPGA this year.

In Japan, Ryder Cup teammates Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa were both four shots off the lead after yesterday’s opening round of the US PGA Tour’s Baycurrent Classic, as they struggled to cope with windy conditions.

The American duo both carded level-par 71s at the Yokohama Country Club, less than two weeks after playing in the USA’s defeat to Europe at Bethpage Black in New York.

Americans Max Greyserman, Bud Cauley and Brian Campbell shared the lead after shooting four-under 67.

A typhoon is lurking off the coast of Japan and players had to deal with blustery conditions, despite tee times being moved earlier to avoid the worst of the weather.

Schauffele, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, hit three birdies but also carded three bogeys, including one on the final hole.

Morikawa, who won this tournament in 2023 when it was called the Zozo Championship, damaged a promising round with bogeys on the 15th and 16th before birdieing the 17th.

Cauley said it was tough to deal with the conditions but was satisfied with his bogey-free round.

“The winds were difficult, just trying to manage that,” said the 35-year-old.

“I felt like I hit a lot of good shots, made a couple of putts, and it was nice not to make any bogeys on a day like today, that was difficult.”

The Baycurrent Classic is the only US PGA Tour event currently staged in Asia.

It was previously known as the Zozo Championship and first held in 2019 when Tiger Woods was the inaugural champion. Matsuyama won it in 2021. AGENCIES