In scorching weather conditions at Trump National for the first round of the US Women’s Open Shanshan, Feng held the lead with a seven-under 65.
Feng, who won the 2012 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, played the back nine first and went out in 31, then wilted a bit in the heat. One shot behind her on 67 was Amy Yang, who has 16 top-10 finishes in Majors without ever winning.
A pair of two-time Major winners, Lydia Ko and So Yeon Ryu, the latter winning the first Major of the year at the ANA Inspiration, are at 68.
Minjee Lee, the Australian who at 21 has already won three LPGA events, is three back at 69. Also at 69 is 17-year-old amateur Hye-Jin Choi, who won a qualifier in South Korea.
A slew of other Major champs are also in the mix: Cristie Kerr, who won this tournament 10 years ago and is in her 20th year on tour, is at 69. In Gee Chun and Brooke Henderson are at 70.
Also on 70 and in a share of 14th position, is South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai, who is continuing her run of last week when she finished runner-up. Buhai birdied the first, third, sixth and 17th holes, but drops at Nos 7 and 13 put her back to two-under, although she will be extremely pleased with the start.
Lee-Anne Pace was still out on the course when the hooter went and she was on level par after 16 holes. Her round started on the 10th hole, which she bogeyed, one of three on the back nine, and her eventful day included those four bogeys matched by four birdies.
The remaining South African in the field, Olympian Paula Reto, failed to find a birdie, and three bogeys left her at three-over 75.
Photo: Mike Sullivan/Getty Images
