Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan in joint second in Los Angeles after best opening round of LPGA Tour career
- The 27-year-old thrives on ‘home’ course in Los Angeles, firing seven birdies in six-under-par 65, one stroke behind leader Jessica Korda
- Chan has made the cut in her past two tournaments on the tour, shooting five-under 67 at Lotte Championship last week
Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan Tsz-ching fired a seven-birdie six-under-par 65 in the opening round of the Hugel Air Premia LA Open in Los Angeles for her best-ever start in an LPGA Tour event.
Chan was in joint second place, one stroke behind American Jessica Korda. The 27-year-old, playing on her “home” course at Wilshire Country Club , was tied with Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn.
“My goal was to try not to be too aggressive because it’s my home course so I know it really well,” Chan said. “So, I still tried to be a little more conservative.”
Chan has made the cut in her past two tournaments and showed in last week’s Lotte Championship in Hawaii that she was running into form with a strong third round. A five-under 67 helped her to finish joint 64th, having tied for 66th in the Kia Classic in California at the end of March. She failed to make the cut in her first tournament of the season at the LPGA Drive on Championship in Florida.
In LA, she had four straight birdies from the fifth hole, before dropping her first shot at the par-four 11th. Three more birdies, on 13th, 14th and 17th, ensured she would finish the day in the top two.
Korda birdied three of the final four holes for a seven-under 64 and a one-stroke lead. She had eight birdies and a bogey to match the tournament scoring record set by Megan Khang and Annie Park in 2019.
“This isn’t an easy golf course at all,” Korda said. “I was lucky to be able to position myself in the right spots off the tee and take advantage of the short putts that I did have for birdie.”
Korda won the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in January for her sixth LPGA Tour title, and sister Nelly followed with a victory a month later in the Gainbridge LPGA in the second event of the year.
Nelly Korda was two strokes back at 66 with Dana Finkelstein, Su Oh, Carlota Ciganda and Austin Ernst. Michelle Wie West matched Lexi Thompson with a 70.
Lydia Ko opened with a 78, four days after winning the Lotte Championship at 28-under 260. Patty Tavatanakit had a 75 in her first event since winning the ANA Inspiration for her first major and first LPGA Tour victory.
