SYLVANIA, Ohio (AFP) — Filipinas Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina got off to tepid starts amid the field’s sub-70 performances Thursday in the first round of the US LPGA Dana Open at the Highland Meadows Golf Club.
Pagdanganan, 25, struggled with three bogeys in the front nine before finding her groove in the back with birdies in the 11th, 14th and 17th for an even-par 71. But she’s seven shots behind the leaders entering the second round.
Known for her long drives, Pagdanganan is tied for 84th and would need a strong showing on Friday to catch up with Sweden’s Linn Grant and Thailand’s Jaravee Boonchant.
Ardina, who finished tied for 53rd in the recent U.S. Women’s Open, is one shot back, in a gridlock for 105th.
Grant fired a bogey-free seven-under-par 64 on Thursday to share the first-round lead with Boonchant.
Grant set an early target at Highland Meadows in Sylvania, Ohio, teeing off on the 10th and opening with six straight pars before stringing together three straight birdies at 16, 17 and 18.
She picked up four more birdies coming in and was joined atop the leaderboard by afternoon starter Jaravee, who launched her round with an eagle at the 10th and added seven birdies with two bogeys.
“I was striking the ball really well both off the tee and into the greens,” said Grant, who like Jaravee is seeking a first LPGA title. “Just felt very comfortable with my swing and didn’t have to force anything.”
“I was just having great tempo, so just try and keep that for tomorrow.”
Grant, coming off a tie for 20th at the Women’s PGA Championship and a share of 53rd at last week’s US Women’s Open, said Highland Meadows was a welcome respite after the rigors of Pebble Beach.
“Obviously coming here, you know, easier conditions,” she said.
“That kind of just suited my mindset for the day. I just got on a roll.”
Jaravee is trying to halt a string of four straight missed cuts — including at the Women’s PGA and US Open.
A hole out for eagle from 128 yards out was a great start.
“I was just like on the first cut (of rough) and I was like, okay, this shot, just anywhere on the green,” she said.
“And the ball just happened to hit one bounce and hop into the hole.”
She was also pleased with a bogey at the first, where she was in a bunker off the tee then in the water, but limited the damage with a great fourth shot to four feet.
“I think that really kept the momentum going, and I made three birdies in a row after that.”
The leading duo were one shot in front of former world number one Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand and Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen.
Rising US star Rose Zhang, who won the Mizuho Americas Open in her pro debut last month, headlined a big group on five-under par 66.
Zhang was especially pleased to find herself in the hunt after a “travel mess” from California that included a nine-hour delay for her connecting flight from Phoenix.
“I came in Tuesday morning at 3 a.m., so the practice rounds and the pro-am was a little bit shaky for me,” Zhang said.
“I’m glad that I played a solid round, and hopefully I can rest a little bit more.”
American Allisen Corpuz, who won her first major title at the US Women’s Open on Sunday, headed another big bunch on 67.
