South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai was one shot behind the leader, Thailand’s Jasmine Suwannapura, after the first round of the LPGA’s NW Arkansas Championship in Rogers.
Suwannapura bagged five of her eight birdies on the back nine. The 31-year-old’s birdie at Pinnacle Country Club’s par-five 18th capped an eight-under-par 63 and saw her edge ahead of a group of four players sharing second on seven under.
Another three players were tied on six-under 65 and a dozen were within three shots of Jasmine’s lead after a day in which gusty winds made the going difficult, especially for late starters.
“I think it’s starting from last week, everything’s getting better with my irons, I have more confidence,” said Jasmine, adding that she’s motivated as the season winds down to secure a place in the 60-player CME Tour Championship and to make sure she’s qualified to play in Thailand early next season so her parents can watch her play in person.
She came into the week ranked 75th in the Race to the CME Globe standings, but she’s not feeling much pressure.
“I think at this point, you can only do your best right now,” she said, noting that with no cut in this 54-hole event “you go out there and just fire at the pin and try to climb up the CME [Tour championship standings].”
It doesn’t hurt that the week in Arkansas offers plenty of congenial support, from the local family that she’s billeted with to the chance to have a couple of drinks with her pro-am playing partners.
“It’s been pretty fun week so far,” said Jasmine, who launched her round with a birdie at the 1st and picked up two more strokes at the 5th and 7th.
Coming in she birdied the 10th before back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14 and another brace at 17 and 18.
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, Buhai and Mexico’s Maria Fassi were already in the clubhouse on seven under when Jasmine finished and 18-year-old Chinese rookie Zeng Liqi joined them in the afternoon.
Fassi, who played collegiate golf at the University of Arkansas, shook off two early bogeys and had nine birdies. Ciganda had seven birdies without a bogey and Buhai birdied her last four holes to seize her share of second.
Zeng teed off on the 10th and her seven birdies included five in a row from the 14th through the 18th. Her two birdies coming in included one at the par-four 9th to match her lowest round on Tour.
“I’m feeling really lucky after today,” she said. “There were a lot of chances on the front nine that I got a hold of. Also a few minor mistakes that happened, but I was able to save them.
“A bogey-free round is always a reason to be happy.”
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Dylan Buell/Getty Images
