Hot putter helps Korda to first-round lead in LA

LOS ANGELES • A birdie-birdie finish lifted Jessica Korda to a one-shot first-round lead over former champion Moriya Jutanugarn and Tiffany Chan on Wednesday in the LPGA Los Angeles Open.

Korda answered her lone bogey of the day with birdies at three of her last four holes, firing a seven-under 64 at Wilshire Country Club to overtake Moriya.

The Thai golfer had turned things around after a rocky start that featured a double bogey and two bogeys in her first five holes, her 10 birdies carrying her to a 65.

She was joined at six-under by Hong Kong's Chan, whose seven birdies included four in a row from the fifth hole.

Korda hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation, tying the course record as she put herself in position to add a second title this season alongside the Tournament of Champions trophy she lifted in January.

"I had a good day," said the 28-year-old American, ranked 21st in the world. "I just kept myself in position and was able to capitalise on the six-to 10-footers that I gave myself for birdie.

"I had some issues with the speed on the back nine, so I was happy to make a couple of five footers or four-footers for par, which doesn't happen too often, especially in the afternoon on these greens."

Moriya, who claimed the lone LPGA title of her career at this event in 2018, teed off in the morning and found herself in trouble quickly.

"Really a roller coaster," said the 26-year-old, who battled back after her double-bogey at the 11th - her second hole of the day.

That miscue, along with bogeys at Nos. 13 and 14, was forgotten as she reeled off six birdies in a row from the 15th up till the second.

After a birdie at the fourth, she closed with another run of three straight birdies, playing her second nine in six-under 29.

Her bravura finish saw her leapfrog Americans Nelly Korda - the fourth-ranked younger sister of Jessica - and Austin Ernst, who both finished the day sharing fourth on five-under with Spain's Carlota Ciganda, Australian Su Oh and American Dana Finkelstein.

World No. 1 Ko Jin-young and No. 3 Kim Sei-young were among a group of eight players on four-under 67.

New Zealand's Lydia Ko, coming off a victory at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii, had a round to forget with two double-bogeys in her seven-over 78.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS