On Friday, Australian rookie Stephanie Kyriacou played 65, minus six, taking the lead by one shot at the ShopRite Classic.
Winner of two tournaments on the European Tour, Kyriacou took the start at 7:15 am in the first group before inconvenient winds rose. The tournament takes place at the Seaview Hotel and Golf Club.
“The greens are quite difficult,” said Kyriacou, 21. They are quite firm, and they are fast. But there wasn’t as much wind as during the training rounds, so that was good.
Sweden’s Frida Kinhult is one step behind.
Canada’s Brooke Henderson has 67, as does No. 1 Jin Young Ko, Dottie Ardina, and Marina Alex, originally from New Jersey.
Alex won the Palos Verdes championship in May in California, scoring a second career win.
She made her LPGA debut at shopRite Classic in 2012.
Henderson managed two birdies on each half of the course.
20-tournament champion Cristie Kerr is among the 68-a-side golfers.
Kyriacou received advice from compatriot Karrie Webb, who was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame in 2005.
The 47-year-old winner of the competition in 2013, Webb has 41 career wins. On Tuesday, she ran into Kyriacou in training and made some suggestions, which paid off.
Kyriacou scored a bug-free round and collected six birdies.
“I asked her what she did when she was nervous, how she was doing. She gave me some advice,” Kyriacou said.
“She just said to close your eyes between blows, breathe and listen to the birds, that kind of thing. Just to change your mind. It’s so simple, but it’s very useful.
Webb played 73 in his first LPGA tournament since January.
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