Davies in contention in Maryland
Britain’s Laura Davies continued her season’s great run of form with a four-under-par 68 that left her just a shot off the lead after the first round of the women’s major, the McDonald’s LPGA Championship in Maryland.
Three players – American Kim Saiki-Maloney, Brazil-born rookie Angela Park and South Korea’s Birdie Kim – shared top spot on five-under-par 67 with Davies in a four-way tie on 68 at Bulle Rock, Havre de Grace.
Davies had half a dozen birdies over the course where she finished third two years ago, and where she would love to claim the fifth major that would get her into the LPGA Hall of Fame.
The 43-year-old has not won in America for six years, but has not missed a cut this season and came close to victory at a tournament in Florida in April.
“It’s a great start,” she said. “I have been playing very consistently all season and I have played well here before.
“The key this season is that I have been driving well and that has given me a lot of confidence. Now I just hope that the putts fall at the right time.”
Teenager Michelle Wie, who was second two years ago, completed her first full round on the LPGA Tour with a one-over-par 73.
The 17-year-old was under the spotlight after pulling out of last week’s tournament in South Carolina when she was 14 over-par after 16 holes in the first round.
She claimed she had suffered a recurrence of the wrist injury incurred in a fall in January.
The Hawaiian again started poorly and was four over-par by the time she double-bogeyed the long 15th, her sixth hole.
But she rallied with three birdies in four holes from the 16th before letting another shot slip away at the second. She picked up her fourth birdie at the long eighth.
Janice Moodie opened with two birdies and finished with two birdies for a fine 70 and another two Scots, Catriona Matthew and Mhairi McKay, were both on 71.
The two Canadians in the field – Lorie Kane and Anna-Jane Eathorne – both finished on 74.
