Lottie Woad is part of a chasing pack at one shot off the lead following the first round of the season-opening Tournament of Champions.
Shooting a six-under-par 66 gave Nasa Hataoka of Japan a one-shot lead over LPGA player of the year Jeeno Thitikul, Chanettee Wannasaen, Linn Grant and Woad.
Woad reached six-under before a bogey at the par-four finishing hole dropped her back at Lake Nona Golf & Country.
“Could have been better; could have been worse,” Woad said afterwards. “I need to work on my driving a little bit. Just missed a couple of fairways. The last hole, shouldn’t have missed it there. Other than that, everything was pretty solid.
“I feel like I’m pretty strategic and plot my way around. I want to keep it like that.”
Image:
Woad of England hits out of a bunker alongside the 18th fairway. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Thitikul had six birdies and a bogey on Thursday to climb the leaderboard in a tournament open to LPGA winners from the past two seasons. Wannasaen had seven birdies during her round of 67, Grant birdied her last two holes to match them at five-under.
Nelly Korda was joined by Amy Yang and Linn Grant another shot back.
The highlight for Korda, who finished second at the Tournament of Champions last year, came on the 406-yard, par-four seventh.
Her approach from the middle of the fairway bounced onto the green, rolled toward the hole and bounced off the flagstick, leaving her a tap-in birdie. Korda eventually reached six-under before a couple of late bogeys left her with a round of 68.
Watch the second round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions live on Sky Sports Mix from 4.30pm on Friday
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