Mexico City (AFP) – Melanie Green aced the par-three 15th hole on the way to a six-under par 66 and a share of the first-round lead in the LPGA Riviera Maya Open in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, on Thursday. Green, one of 21 rookies in the field, scored six birdies and two bogeys and was tied with veteran Brianna Do, who had seven birdies and a bogey on the El Camaleon Golf Course.
The leaders, both chasing a first LPGA title, were one stroke in front of Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, while world number one Nelly Korda headlined a group of six players sharing fourth on 68. Korda, fresh off her third career major title at the Chevron Championship that catapulted her back to the top of the rankings, teed off on 10 and after a birdie at 13, eagled the par-five 18th.
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She answered her lone bogey at the second with birdies at the fifth and seventh. “It was a solid four-under, definitely took advantage of the par-fives,” said Korda, who also won the weather-shortened Tournament of Champions to open the season, then strung together three straight runner-up finishes before winning the Chevron for the second time in three years.
Green also teed off on 10 and picked up six strokes in the space of six holes with birdies at 13 and 14, her eagle hole-in-one at 15, and birdies at 17 and 18. She didn’t know her tee shot at the 15th had gone in the cup until she was at the green.
“I was walking up and before I started walking I was like, ‘OK, great shot. Phenomenal. Grab the putter,'” Green said. “Then we’re walking up, walking up and I’m looking at the green, I’m like, ‘there is no ball.'” When her caddie told her she’d aced it, she said, she told him: “It’s not in the hole. That’s not nice.” When the truth dawned, “I was so excited,” she said. “Good bounce.”
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