Japanese dominate early at AIG Women’s Open Championship
Minjee Lee during round one play – image LET
It is a Japanese-dominated leaderboard after day one of the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl in southern Wales, the leading three players all from the land of the rising sun and six in the top 13 after the opening day.
Eri Okayama and her fellow countrywoman, Rio Takeda, share the lead after opening rounds of 5 under 67 and have opened up a one-shot lead over Miyu Yamashita.
Japanese golfers have won this event on two occasions in its 50-year history, the last being in 2019 when Hinako Shibuno was successful, but the country is beginning to feature in major championships regularly of late, and they have made a great start in the pursuit of another victory.
Not unexpectantly, Minjee Lee heads the large Australasian contingent following her opening round of 70 with Gabi Ruffels and Grace Kim the next best at 1 under 71 to be in a share of 30th place, such is the congested nature of the leaderboard.
“I mean, it was difficult, setup a little differently than what I thought it was going to,” said Lee. “I think the wind will probably get up in the afternoon, and it will be the same for everyone.
“The tees were up a little bit, but some of the holes it made it harder because you couldn’t hit driver off the tee. So you were hitting less than like 3-woods or 7-woods off the tee. Like 10 was up. And maybe like 15 or 16.
“It was 7, one of the holes was kind of tough because usually the right side is okay, but because I went a little bit further right, trying to not go into the bunkers, it was like kind of dead. It was just little things like that. It was playing a little different. The wind was similar to maybe like the first practice day and maybe the pro-am day for me, the Tuesday.
“I don’t think I’m going to complain with a 2-under start. Some of the holes are just beasts out there. Sometimes you’ve got to take what you get and just make a bogey and get out of there and reset, try and make better score on the next hole.
“It’s a major championship. You’re going to make bogeys. Just try to keep your emotions in check and take it one shot at a time.”
