PATTAYA: The Honda LPGA Thailand 2022 Championship got off to a blistering start with three players tied for the lead on 63. Australian Su Oh, Nasa Hataoka of Japan and German Esther Henseleit (pix) all shot 9-under rounds, which gave them a one-stroke cushion over China’s Xiyu Lin, on an opening day when the big names generally struggled on Siam Country Club Pattaya’s Old Course.
Su Oh, the 25-year-old South Korea-born Australian golfer, was bogey-free in her 63 which had five birdies on the back nine and four on the front.
“That's a great way to start a tournament – it was really nice. I don't think I've ever shot 9-under before,” Su Oh said after her round. “I'm very happy with how I played.”
Twenty-three year-old Nasa Hataoka, a five-time LPGA Tour winner, said she too enjoyed her opening round and could not have asked for anything better.
“I hit 14 fairways and 18 greens, so that’s a solid round,” she said.
Esther Henseleit, the 23-year-old who resides in Hamburg, Germany and has two wins on the Ladies European Tour, said of her first day 63: “I just didn't make any big mistakes I think. My irons were good.
“I think it's definitely a low scoring course. You can be aggressive and there are just many holes you can attack with either your drive or par-5 with the second. I think it's a really fun golf course.”
This is the 15th edition of the Honda LPGA Thailand and it carries prize money of US$1.6 million (RM6.7m).