It’s been Ariya Jutanugarn’s year and the first round of the Women’s Olympic Tournament was no exception.
The 20-year-old from Thailand carded a 6-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead over South Koreans Inbee Park and Sei Young Kim on the Olympic Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro.
“It was pretty good, I just missed a couple of putts,” said Jutanugarn, who has won four times this year on the LPGA Tour, including the Ricoh Women’s British Open last month. “My ball-striking was very good. I missed only one drive.
“It’s exciting (to play in the Olympics), but I want to just focus on what I have to do. I like this course but it was hard to prepare because it’s new. It’s hard to read the greens.”
Jutanugarn collected seven birdies and an eagle on the fifth hole, taking the lead with a birdie on No. 16, where she hit her approach to within five inches.
Park, whose participation in the Olympics was in question because of a thumb injury, had a bogey-free 66, including three birdies in a row through the 12th hole.
“The competition to make the Korean team was very strong and there were some people who were saying I should step aside for someone else,” said Park, once the top player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings who has slipped to No. 5.
“So there was pressure and I was excited on the first tee. Some people doubted me, but I played well. It’s an honor to play in the Olympics and I’m just trying to enjoy the experience.”
Kim also was bogey-free in her 66, making a birdie on the final hole to pull even with Park
Candie Kung of Taiwan, who played at USC, birdied the first three holes on her way to a 67 and was tied for fourth with Carlota Ciganda of Spain, who eagled the fifth hole, and Nicole Broch Larsen of Denmark, who birdied three of the first four holes.
Lexi Thompson of the United States had four birdies in six holes through No. 14 on her way to a 68 and was tied for seventh with Charley Hull of England, Azahara Munoz of Spain and Aditi Ashok of India.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko of New Zealand opened with a 69 and was in a tie for 11th that included Gerina Piller of the U.S.
Stacy Lewis rounded out the American threesome with a 70 to tie for 19th.
