Patty leads the ANA party as her patience pays off

LOS ANGELES • Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit fired a stress-free six-under 66 to take the first-round lead on Thursday in the year's first women's golf Major, the LPGA ANA Inspiration.

Patty, who played college golf at the University of California at Los Angeles, did not let nerves get the better of her, grabbing six birdies without a bogey for a one-shot lead over Chinese veteran Feng Shanshan and Ireland's Leona Maguire.

"It was a pretty calm and relaxing day today," said the 21-year-old, who is into her second year as an LPGA member after a rookie season disrupted by Covid-19.

"I just stuck to my game plan and didn't get too greedy out there. I know it's a Major, it's tough, the course is really tough.

"I was just being really patient and I was waiting for putts to drop, and they did on the back nine."

After two front-nine birdies, Patty rolled in four coming home, including three in a row at the 13th, 14th and 15th holes, and a final flourish at the par-five 18th.

"First off, you have to hit a good drive there, which I did," she said of the 18th, playing as a true island green this week without spectator grandstands.

"I picked a really good line. And I had a six-iron in, so it's pretty much a long par-four, 178 to the flag. I just wanted to hit the green... and I was able to stop it just pin high."

Patty topped a crowded leaderboard that saw a dozen players within three shots of the lead - including world No. 1 Ko Jin-young of South Korea, Thai sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn and two-time Major champion Anna Nordqvist of Sweden.

Feng, a former Major champion and 10-time LPGA winner, looked anything but rusty in her first tour event since the Tour Championship in November 2019.

The 31-year-old had five birdies in her five-under effort, topping the leaderboard until Patty passed her by. I was kind of nervous last night, but I said to myself, 'Hey, it's OK. Think about you're just an old rookie. Everything is new for you here and just have no expectation. Try your hardest, 100 per cent on every shot, and enjoy the process'."

Round 2, session 2: StarHub Ch204, 7am

Nordqvist, the Jutanugarn sisters and American Megan Khang shared fourth on 68 while top-ranked Ko, who skipped last year's edition because of Covid-19 fears, headlined a group of eight players on 69.

Like Feng, Michelle Wie West is also making a comeback. Playing her second event after a 21-month break, the American is in another big group on 70.

Having made her ANA debut in 2003 as a 13-year-old, she is now married and has a daughter born last June. And the 2014 US Women's Open champion admitted she was "more excited to go home and see her (Makenna)".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE