▲ Choi Hye-jin during the first round
Choi Hye-jin has gotten off to a strong start near the top of the leaderboard at the LPGA Tour's Standard Portland Classic.
Playing at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon, Choi carded six-under-par 66 with seven birdies and a single bogey in the opening round.
Choi sits in a tie for second place, just one stroke behind sole leader Mariel Galdiano of the United States, who shot seven-under 65.
Choi, who is still seeking her first victory on the LPGA Tour since her debut in 2022, has competed in 17 tournaments this season, making 13 cuts and finishing in the top 10 four times.
After missing the cut two weeks ago at the major AIG Women's Open, she showcased sharp form on the first day of the tour's return to the United States following a one-week break, knocking on the door of her maiden victory once again.
Choi got off to a good start with a birdie on the 10th hole, where she began her first round, and caught fire with four consecutive birdies from the 13th to the 16th holes.
She recorded her only bogey on the 18th hole, but bounced back with a birdie on the 1st hole and picked up another stroke on the 6th hole.
On this day, Choi missed three fairways and three greens while recording 28 putts.
"I didn't feel like my shot-making was exceptionally good, but it had been a while since I putted on fast greens, and having a good feel for the putter helped a lot," Choi said, evaluating her performance. "Overall, things seem to be going well."
She emphasized, "Distance is an advantage on this course, but keeping it in the fairway is crucial. There are holes where if you miss the fairway, you cannot attack the green with your second shot, so precision is key."
World No. 3 Ryu Hae-ran, who won back-to-back major titles in June and July at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship, shot a five-under 67 with five birdies and no bogeys, tying for ninth place alongside Hwang Yu-min, Jeon Ji-won, and Joo Soo-bin.
Ryu, who currently trails Nelly Korda for second place in the CME Globe Race points, Player of the Year standings, and scoring average, has an opportunity to narrow the gap at this tournament with world No. 1 Korda absent.
World No. 2 Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand finished in a tie for 25th place, while Im Jin-hee and Ahn Na-rin tied for 33rd, and Choi Eun-jung tied for 49th.
(Photo: Getty Images)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.