South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai chips onto the 17th green on the opening day of the 2024 Women's Open at the Old Course at St Andrews. South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai chips onto the 17th green on the opening day of the 2024 Women's Open at the Old Course at St Andrews. Picture: Andy Buchanan / AFP
England's Charley Hull enjoyed a superb finish, with four birdies on the back nine on the Old Course at St Andrews on Thursday, to lead the Women's Open with a five-under par opening round of 67.
The 28-year-old, bidding for her first major title after finishing runner-up in both last year's Women's Open and Women's US Open, was in a star-studded group that also featured defending champion Lilia Vu and world number one Nelly Korda.
"I would take that 100 percent," said Hull. "I'm happy with that score, and I'm just looking forward to going out tomorrow and being patient again."
Ashleigh Buhai is the best-placed South African after shooting a level par round. Casandra Alexander is currently tied for 32nd after a round of one-over par, while Lee-Anne Pace is two-over par. Paula Reto had a day to forget after shooting five-over par.
Charley Hull sets the pace.
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Hull, Korda and Vu clearly brought the best in each other's games, with Korda - who won the season's first major, the Chevron Championship - in a tie for second on four-under and Vu one of several players a stroke further back.
China's Yin Ruoning had previously overcome difficult conditions to claim the early lead.
Starting on the 10th hole, the former world number one defied strong gusts to reach six-under-par through 14 holes.
Although she dropped a couple of shots late in her round, a four-under 68 was a hugely creditable score.
Yin held the outright lead for most of Thursday before being surpassed by Hull.
"I was watching it on the TV when I saw the scores, and I thought, how is (Yin) four-under-par?" added Hull.
"That was an unbelievable score. To go out there, shoot five-under, play pretty solid, it was a lot of fun."
Bidding to become the first home winner of the tournament since England's Georgia Hall in 2018, Hull reached the turn in one-under par.
But it was a very different story on the way back in, with Hull landing three birdies in six holes to share the lead with Yin before a closing birdie on the 18th gave her sole possession of first place.
Despite the evening gloom when she finished her round, Hull was wearing sunglasses in the closing stages when not playing a shot, admitting she did so to shield her eyes from the wind.
"I know it sounds silly, but my nose and my eyes just water all the time. So whenever I put my glasses on, it stops them watering."
She added: "Even though it's not sunny, it may look silly, but that's the reason why. I was thinking 'people must think I'm like a right idiot', but it's because they were stopping the wind."
Andrea Lee, Patty Tavatanakit, Lee Mi-hyang, Mao Saigo and Jenny Shin are alongside Vu on three-under-par.
Hall, meanwhile, dramatically eagled her final hole, the ninth, to finish on one-under alongside Linnea Strom.
AFP
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