LPGA Lotte Championship: Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Gemma Dryburgh one shot behind leader Hannah Green after opening round in Hawaii | Golf News

Australia’s Hannah Green made back-to-back birdies three times while shooting a six-under-par 66 at Hoakalei Country Club in Hawaii; Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh and England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff are among a group of five players trailing by one shot

England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff is one shot off the lead in Hawaii

Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh and England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff are one shot behind leader Hannah Green after Thursday’s opening round of the LPGA Lotte Championship.

Australia’s Green made back-to-back birdies three times while shooting a six-under-par 66 at Hoakalei Country Club in Hawaii.

Level with the British duo on five-under are American Alison Lee, India’s Aditi Ashok and South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim. Janie Jackson, Mexico’s Gaby Lopez, South Korea’s Haeji Kang and Australia’s Sarah Kemp are tied for seventh after shooting 68s.

Defending champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand is tied for 11th at 69 along with Taiwan’s Min Lee.

Green had three birdies and no bogeys on the back nine before an eventful run through the front nine. She had no pars from No. 2 to No. 8, making five birdies and two bogeys in that span.

“I’ve been hitting the ball good,” said Green, whose two LPGA event championships both came in 2019. “I just felt like with the putter I just needed to see a couple go in, so that’s kind of what led to my score today. Holed a couple longer ones, which is nice. Just made the hole feel a little bit bigger.”

Regarding the conditions at the Oahu course, Green said, “I feel like the windier it gets and the harder it gets, I like that. I feel like I like the challenge. I might not say that tomorrow if I have a bad score, but, you know, it makes you think.”

Dryburgh was only at even par through the front nine, but produced a scintillating display coming in – with four birdies in her final six holes – to complete a strong start.

Ewart Shadoff, playing the back nine first on Thursday, turned at two-under before producing three more birdies in the second half of her round to get to the same score.

England’s top-ranked player, Georgia Hall, is also in contention at two-under but will disappointed that two bogeys in her final three holes saw her drop back from the leaders.

The 10th edition of the event is being played at Hoakalei Country Club for the first time. It was held at Kapolei Golf Club last year following eight years at Ko Olina Golf Club.

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