Ally Ewing tops bunched leaderboard after opening day at Walton Heath; Evian Championship winner Celine Boutier and defending champion Ashleigh Buhai both open with 74s; Watch live on Friday from 11am on Sky Sports Golf
By Ali Stafford at Walton Heath
Last Updated: 10/08/23 8:00pm
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Highlights of the first round of the AIG Women’s Open from Walton Heath.
Highlights of the first round of the AIG Women’s Open from Walton Heath.
Charley Hull is three shots off the lead after the opening round of the AIG Women’s Open, as Celine Boutier made a slow start to her bid for back-to-back major titles.
Hull, chasing a maiden major victory, was the pick of the English contingent as she bounced back from dropping three shots in the space of two holes to card an opening-round 71 at Walton Heath.
The 27-year-old cancelled out a bogey at the fourth by taking advantage of the par-five sixth and briefly topped the leaderboard after back-to-back birdies from the 11th, only to double-bogey the 13th after struggling out of a fairway bunker.
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After shooting a one-under par 71 at Walton Heath in the opening round of the AIG Women’s Open, Charley Hull joined Henni Koyack at the Sky Cart to talk through her round.
Hull also bogeyed the next but rolled in an eagle at the par-five 16th to move her back under par for the tournament, as Ally Ewing jumped clear of a congested leaderboard and set the pace after a four-under 68.
Jeongeun Lee6, Emily Pedersen, Perrine Delacour, Jaravee Boonchant and Amy Yang all share second on three under, with over half of the field separated by five strokes after the opening day.
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After shooting a first round three-under 69 at the AIG Women’s Open, Emily Pedersen spoke about her desire to clinch a Solheim Cup spot.
Bunched scoring at Walton Heath
Former US Women’s Open champion Lee6 was the first to get to three under after birdieing three of her final six holes, with Solheim Cup hopeful Pedersen soon joining her despite reaching the turn over-par.
The Dane holing out from the 10th fairway and added further birdies at the 12th and 16th to grab a share of the lead, with France’s Delacour making it a three-way tie when she responded to two bogeys in three holes around the turn to birdie five of her last seven.
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Boonchant birdied two of her last three holes to close a bogey-free back-nine 33, with Yang making it a five-way tie on three under after mixing an eagle and five birdies with two bogeys and a double-bogey.
Ewing was also in the large share of the lead until she unravelled with back-to-back bogeys from the 13th, only for the American to birdie the next and eagle the par-five 16th to grab a one-shot advantage.
Ally Ewing is a three-time winner on the LPGA Tour
Who else impressed?
Yu Liu was among the other players to get to three under after a long-range eagle at the 16th but slipped back after a bogey at the next, while Hyo Joo Kim holed a long-range birdie at the 17th before dropping back to two under with a blemish at the last.
Solheim Cup star Carlota Ciganda briefly had the solo lead at two under after an opening-round 70, with US Women’s Open champion Allisen Corpuz also in the large group two off the pace.
Mel Reid, who hit the opening tee shot at 6.30am, posted a level-par 72 despite bogeying three of her first five holes and stuttering to a bogey-bogey finish, with Ireland’s Leona Maguire, 2021 champion Anna Nordqvist and rising star Rose Zhang on the same total.
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Georgia Hall recorded her first birdie of the day at the AIG Women’s Open on the 12th hole thanks to an impressive approach shot.
The world’s top two of Nelly Korda and Jin Young Ko both started with a one-over 73, while Atthaya Thitikul is a further stroke back after an eventful day that saw her quadruple-bogey the opening hole and roll in a 90-foot eagle later in the round.
Ashleigh Buhai opened her title defence with a two-over 74, a score matched by Boutier – chasing back-to-back major titles and a third LPGA Tour victory in as many starts – and Georgia Hall, while Lexi Thompson struggled to an opening-round 76.
Who will win the AIG Women’s Open? Watch the final women’s major of the year on Sky Sports Golf, with coverage continuing on Friday from 11am. Stream the AIG Women’s Open with NOW.