Brooke Henderson made a hole in one, won a car and took a two-stroke lead over Christina Kim and In Kyung Kim of South Korea after one-round of the KMPG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash.
The 18-year-old from Canada aced the 13th hole from 155 yards with a 7-iron after starting the day at No. 10 and then birdied three of the last four holes while finishing on the front nine to open with a 4-under-par 67.
“Yeah, it was a pretty good day today,” said Henderson, who is No. 4 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings and won the Cambria Portland Classic for her first LPGA Tour victory last year.
“I kind of was feeding off the energy I had last year at KPMG (when she tied for fifth at Westchester Country Club in Harrison, N.Y.) I started off with a 6-under round (a year ago), so I was hoping to do the same thing.”
Henderson owns a BMW X5 thanks to an endorsement deal, so she promised her sister and caddie, Brittany, that any car that she won with an ace this year would be a gift.
“I told her no take-backs,” said Brittany, who will get the Kia K900.
Christina Kim of San Jose, a three-time winner on the LPGA Tour, birdied three of four holes through No. 6 while finishing her 69 on the front nine, while In Kyung Kim tied for second with a birdie on the 17th hole.
Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, who has won her last three LPGA Tour events, had two late birdies in a 70 and was tied for fourth with Minjee Lee of Australia, Tiffany Joh of San Diego and UCLA, Ashleigh Simon of South Africa, Suzann Pettersen of Norway and Hee Young Park of South Korea.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko of New Zealand posted a 71 and was tied for 10th with Jennifer Song, Budsabakorn Sukapan of Thailand, Katherine Kirk of Australia and Pepperdine, In Gee Chun of South Korea, Brittany Lincicome, Austin Ernst, Chella Choi of South Korea, Kris Tamulis and Mirim Lee of South Africa.
Two-time defending champion Inbee Park of South Africa, despite struggling with a thumb injury, opened with a 72 and was tied for 20th. By getting through the first round, she completed 10 years on the circuit and with 17 victories including seven majors, Park qualified for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame.
