England’s Georgia Hall is four shots off the lead after the opening round of the first women’s golf major of the season, with world number one Nelly Korda slumping to a 77 at the Chevron Championship.
Hall opened with a three-under 69 in Texas, while defending champion Korda sits 12 shots back from leaders Haeran Ryu and Yan Liu following a disappointing start.
South Korean Ryu and China’s Liu each shot a bogey-free round of seven under par to lead by two from South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim.
Play was interrupted by a late storm, with 24 players unable to finish.
Korda won the event at The Club at Carlton Woods last year, which secured the two-time major winner a fifth straight LPGA Tour victory.
The 26-year-old American could not rediscover that same form on Thursday, however, and instead she made bogeys on four consecutive holes and was four over par after six holes.
Hall started on the back nine with successive birdies but was back at level par after a third bogey of the day on the first, her 10th, but three more birdies in her final eight holes saw her end the round on a high.
Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh had a double-bogey seven at the par-five eighth – her penultimate hole – as she signed for a level-par 72.
Charley Hull, England’s top ranked player at 10 in the world standings, was two under after four holes but a triple-bogey seven at her last hole, saw her post a 75.
She is joined on three over by compatriot and world number one amateur Lottie Woad, who opened with eight pars and then had four bogeys and a birdie in her final 10 holes.
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