Apr 27, 2025; The Woodlands, Texas, USA; Haeran Ryu of Korea hits a tee shot on the primary gap throughout the ultimate spherical of The Chevron Championship golf event. Obligatory Credit score: Erik Williams-Imagn Pictures
Haeran Ryu carded a bogey-free, 9-under-par 63 on Thursday to take the first-round lead on the inaugural Black Desert Championship in Ivins, Utah.
The 24-year-old South Korean holds a one-shot lead over Taiwan’s Wei-Ling Hsu and Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn on the Membership at Carlton Woods’ Nicklaus Course.
Lucy Li, Germany’s Esther Henseleit, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, Australia’s Grace Kim and South Koreans Jiwon Jeon and Soo Bin Joo are tied for fourth place at 7 beneath. Six gamers share tenth place at 6 beneath.
Japan’s Mao Saigo, who gained her first profession main title final week on the Chevron Championship, is tied for forty second at 2 beneath.
Ryu opened on the again 9 and birdied every of her first two holes. She wound up with 5 birdies on the again 9 and 4 on the entrance 9.
“This course, it’s … not too … slender however seems like it’s as a result of (there are) too many rocks in right here,” mentioned Ryu, who earned her second profession LPGA win final September exterior Boston. “So I simply need to hold conserving on the green my tee shot and on the simple spot on the greens.”
She additionally cited a latest change of putters as serving to her.
“It is extra comfy for my shot and, yeah, that is good for final week and this week, too,” Ryu mentioned.
Hsu began and ended her spherical effectively. Starting on the again 9, she had an early stretch of birdie-par-eagle-birdie. The eagle got here on the par-5 thirteenth gap, the place she sank a brief putt. She closed her bogey-free day with three consecutive birdies.
Matching Ryu’s stats, Hsu hit 13 of 14 fairways and 17 of 18 greens in regulation.
“This week I believe I simply attempt to be a little bit bit extra calm and a little bit bit extra relaxed,” Hsu mentioned. “So I believe I had mindset begin of immediately, and plenty of approaching shot I simply — earlier than I hit the shot identical to, ‘You are able to do this, Wei-Ling.’
“I believe I simply give myself be aware in my head, so I believe that basically labored out effectively immediately.”
Jutanugarn’s two nines had been almost similar, every that includes 5 pars and two units of back-to-back birdies.
“I might say this course will be actually worrying since you type of must plan all the things, each shot, like tee shot, second shot, the place to complete the ball,” Jutanugarn mentioned. “… I am very fortunate this morning. No wind, so bought a bit simpler to cease … the ball the place I need to end.”
–Subject Degree Media