LPGA: Honda LPGA Thailand full leaderboard here
Thailand is known as "Land of smile" and after a scorching hot day (overnight in EST) on the Pattaya's Old Course at the Siam GC the players were indeed smiling after a day of low scoring with three -9 63's by Japan's Nasa Hataoka, Asian Australian Su Oh and Germany's Esther Henseleit making her Honda LPGA debut after starring on the LET.
Generous pins placement and holding greens had this field flag hunting, something I'm sure officials will change for the 2nd round. Only 9 of the 67 players were over par, including defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn +2 74.
Brooke Henderson posted 8 birdies along with just 1 bogey, highlighted by 4 in a row from the 14th, with the 5th stopping right on the lip at the 18th. Her 65 -7 sees her in a group of 6 all T5.
Today she will be paired with American Lisette Salas from China Yu Lui at 9.24 local. You can see coverage starting at 1am on the Golf Channel.
It's clear this Honda sponsored a event looks to be a shootout, so it will take 4 low rounds to stay in contention.
If you are not familiar with the LPGA especially on the 2 week Asian swing where American stars like the Korda's have chose to stay home you will think there is some golfing 'cookie cutter" in the sky somewhere over Asia.
Wave after wave of what only can be described as diminutive little visor wearing, ponytailed young Asian women, all wearing variations of their skorts, festooned in sponsor logos with golf bags nearly as tall as them swinging away, identically to the untrained eye, are a testament to how many with origins from countries like South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, dominate the women's professional game. It is overwhelming.
After this week the tour flies out to California and Hawaii for over a month including the 1st major at Rancho Mirage sponsored formerly sponsored by ANA, now by Chevron.
Bryan Angus
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