Japan’s Ayaka Furue fires 65 to lead LPGA Tournament of Champions
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Ayaka Furue plays her shot from the ninth tee during the first round of the LPGA Tournament of Champions.
PHOTO: AFP
MIAMI – Some golfers need to be fully focused on their game during competitions but for Japan’s Ayaka Furue, she just wants to have fun despite the difficulty of the course.
On Jan 18, she fired a seven-under 65, closing with back-to-back birdies to seize a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the LPGA Tournament of Champions.
Furue’s bogey-free 18 holes at Lake Nona in Orlando, Florida, gave her the top spot with Mexico’s Gaby Lopez and Maja Stark of Sweden sharing second in the opening event of the LPGA Tour campaign.
“All of my play today, that was really fantastic for me. This course is really difficult. Not only my shot but also my putt was really good today,” the Japanese said.
“My putt was kind of excellent for me today. I could make a lot of birdies and get closer to the hole and that’s the point.”
Furue, an eight-time winner on the Japan Tour, qualified for the event with her victory at the 2022 Women’s Scottish Open. She had eight top-10 LPGA finishes last season, the best a runner-up effort at the LPGA Matchplay in May.
“Last year, I think I played well so I just want to keep it going this year. Just keep going on, just have fun tomorrow and just not think about the tournament and everything,” the 23-year-old added.
Lopez, who got married in December, had a honeymoon in Spain, Egypt and went on safaris in Africa with a finish in Mexico, calling it a “dream come true”.
Her back-nine start was nearly as special with six birdies and a bogey in her first eight holes. After bogeys at six and seven, the 30-year-old closed her round with a birdie at the par-five ninth.
“Sometimes when you come with low expectations, you kind of relax a little bit,” she said.
“But I’ve been hitting my irons. Last six months, we had really good feelings and I hit probably 17 greens today.
“Just giving lots of opportunities, and it comes to the mental preparation, just relaxing a little bit more than past years.”
The Mexican reached the field by winning the 2022 Dana Open, while Stark qualified by winning the 2022 Handa World Invitational.
Americans Ally Ewing and Danielle Kang shared fourth on 68 while the pack on 69 comprised New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson of Canada, Australia’s Grace Kim, South African Ashleigh Buhai and Americans Andrea Lee, Alexa Pano and Rose Zhang. AFP
