The wind died down and the score was low on day one of the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links. LPGA Tour rookie Hye-Jin Choi led the way, firing an eight-under-par 64 in the mild conditions of the morning, tying the course record set by Rafa Cabrera Bello on the DP World Tour in the final round. of the Genesis Scottish Open in 2017. Choi posted seven birdies, an eagle and a bogey to tie the lowest round of her LPGA Tour career, last recorded at the US Women’s Open presented by ProMedica, and currently leads by just one blow.
“Today I had very good shots in general. But more than my strokes, my putter was really good, so I had a lot of chances,” said Choi, who needed just 27 putts to get the job done on Thursday. “I just made birdies when I had the chance and played well with a good attitude on the rest of my holes. I just believed my green reading and I got it right. That really worked and all the balls hit the middle of the hole. That helped me maintain my confidence.”
A trio of players tied for second place after opening their weeks at Dundonald Links with 65 at stake. Lydia Ko, a seventeen-time LPGA Tour winner, went bogey-less for the 11th time this season on Thursday, posting three consecutive birdies on Nos. 4-6, as well as Nos. 9, 11, 13 and 14. This is Ko.’s fifth Trust Golf Women’s appearance at the Scottish Open; she missed out on the title last year at Dumbarnie Links, finishing tied for second with Atthaya Thitikul, her best finish in the event.
“I actually really liked the golf course last year,” Ko said. “But this was a course that I played a lot earlier when it was a LET event, and then I played very, very poorly when it was an LPGA event, so I wasn’t too sure. Mixed emotions this week. But I played really solid. I looked good and I think even when I made mistakes I was pretty cool about things. And the weather was much better than I thought it was going to be.”
Celine Boutier came to Dundonald Links after missing a cut at the Amundi Evian Championship in her home country of France, but recovered in Scotland with a 65 in the first round. Her bogeyless day was highlighted by back-to-back birdies at four and five, and it was Boutier’s performance that gave her an advantage in this uncharted spot.
“I think my putting was really solid all day. I feel like even when I missed the greens and stuff and I was maybe five feet, six feet to par, I would make it,” she said. “It’s my first time playing on this course, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The great thing about the Scottish or anything in the UK is that you can have so many different weather conditions so you really have to let go. It’s kind of nice because you just don’t have expectations.”
Epson Tour graduate Lilia Vu posted a bogey and eight birdies on Thursday en route to tying the lowest round of her LPGA Tour career. The highlight of her round came in the last, when Vu nearly hit a 56-degree wedge from 83 yards, eventually hitting her on the foot and coming in for a closing birdie. Although three rounds remain in Ayrshire, her strong play on day one of the Scottish Open has Vu excited about next week’s AIG Women’s Open, the final major of the year. “I think I’m excited to see the Brits next week,” she said. “I’m having fun here, honestly.”
2018 AIG Women’s Open champion Georgia Hall and LPGA Tour rookie Na Rin An are tied for fifth at -6, with seven players completing the top 10 in a tie for seventh at -5, including the 2022 US Women’s Open presented by ProMedica Champion Minjee Lee. . Defending champion Ryann O’Toole opened her week with a four-under 68 (T14) and Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh shot a three-under 69 (T18).