Rivals shocked by Chun's record

WASHINGTON • South Korea's Chun In-gee did not make too much of her record-equalling eight-under 64 as she surged into a commanding five-shot lead at the Women's PGA Championship on Thursday, but her rivals were left stunned by her score in the difficult conditions.

The two-time Major champion reeled off nine birdies and only one bogey at the Congressional Country Club outside Washington to match the lowest opening round in the history of the event set by Nicole Castrale in 2006.

The 27-year-old's remarkable round was also a course record at Congressional, the historic 98-year-old venue which is hosting a women's Major championship for the first time.

"I didn't think about all the history from the course today," Chun said. "I just keep going to make birdie as much as I can.

"After a lot of rain - course feels longer. I had a couple of good shots with my woods. That's how I had birdie chances. At the same time the greens were softer, so I think it was just a good balance."

Shrugging off the wet conditions - two inches of rain had been dumped on the layout overnight - the world No. 33's round erupted just before the turn when she reeled off four straight birdies to move to five under.

A bogey on her 10th hole of the day briefly interrupted her momentum before another trio of birdies on her 11th, 12th and 13th holes took her to seven under.

One more birdie three holes from home left her on eight under.

Chun's spectacular round left her five shots clear of compatriot Choi Hye-jin and Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum, who both posted three-under 69s.

American Jennifer Chang and South Africa's Paula Reto were six shots off the lead on two under, tied for fourth. Nine women - including the in-form Jennifer Kupcho and defending champion Nelly Korda - were seven strokes back on 71s.

Korda battled through the conditions with three birdies and two bogeys and was satisfied to duck under par. The American admitted she was taken aback by Chun's blazing opening round.

"Any first round under par is good at a Major," she said.

"I don't know what golf course In-gee is playing. She must be playing really well. I would think when I teed it up today, I would be very happy with the score that I shot."

Korda was also in no doubt about how the rain-soaked course had played, saying: "Long. It was definitely really, really long. Especially for me. I am one of the longer hitters on the tour, and it was long."

Kupcho, who defeated Korda and Ireland's Leona Maguire in a play-off last weekend to capture the Meijer LPGA Classic, was also baffled by Chun's course-record score given the conditions.

"It was definitely really windy with a lot of mist and rain. I haven't played in rain either in a while," she said. "A tough challenge out there in the front nine.

"I feel like I played really well. The course is hard. I don't know how In-gee is eight under right now. That's definitely an outlier."

Hannah Green, who won the event in 2019, was another who was amazed by Chun's round.

The Australian, who was among those tied for sixth after shooting 71, said: "To hear that she's eight, I'm like, 'Wow, that's impressive'."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

---

WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP