Jenny Shin Grabs Early Lead at Women’s PGA Championship (Video)
The LPGA’s newest crown jewel, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, got off to a fast and furious start today. With a blemish-free 66, which got her the low round of the day, Jenny Shin grabbed the overnight lead at the inaugural edition of the Tour’s newest major, but there’s a hungry pack chasing her that’s led by Canadian teenager Brooke Henderson, who carded a 6-under 67 and Hall of Famer Karrie Webb, whose 5-under 66 puts her two shots off the lead going into the second round Friday.
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The field didn’t waste any time chewing up the Westchester Country Club track. By the time the morning wave had finished their rounds there were 11 players at 3-under par and tied at the top of the board, among them Cristie Kerr, who accurately predicted lower scores from the afternoon wave:
"“The greens are just so pure here that even if you have a 30-footer, you have a chance to make it. . . It’s a hard golf course, but it’s fair. You know the shots that you can be aggressive with and you know the shots that you can’t. So I think the course kind of forces your hand in that respect a little bit.” – Cristie Kerr"
Brittany Lincicome and Jessica Korda, playing together, managed to pull each other out of their first nine doldrums with a $5 per birdie side bet after they made the turn. It worked. They both played their way from a 1-over 37 at the turn to a 3-under 70 finish, although Lincicome did it with an eagle — she hit the green with her 2nd shot on the 15th hole from 203 yards with a 4-iron — and two birdies while Korda took the more conventional four-birdie approach. (They didn’t indicate whether or not Lincicome’s eagle evened out the wager.)
Lincicome’s wasn’t the only eagle on the course today. Jenny Shin also eagled the 15th and Dame Laura Davies eagled the par-5 12th:
Keep an eye on Lincicome this week. One of the longest hitters on the Tour, the ANA Inspiration champion is seeing all the Westchester Country Club par-5s as reachable in two. In the first round she played them in 3-under par with one bogey, an eagle, two birdies and a par on her way to a 3-under 70. I’m looking for her to convert the 5th hole bogey to a birdie on Friday.
I’m also looking for Stacy Lewis and Inbee Park to begin to move on Friday. They’re both going into the second round in good position, but neither of them putted up to their usual standard today. If the rain that’s forecast for Friday doesn’t slow them down, they should both shave some shots off their score and begin to move up the board.
Not everyone we look to play near the top of the leaderboard had an easy time of it today. Last week’s Manulife LPGA Classic champion, Suzann Pettersen, is at +1 and flirting with the cut line, as is Lizette Salas. Michelle Wie, at 2-over par, needs to find some of those birdie putts Cristie Kerr says are out there on the course.
Play begins Friday morning at 7am, ET and Golf Channel coverage of the 2nd round at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship begins at 1pm. Follow us on Twitter @ProGolfNow and we’ll notify you when we publish commentary and updates on the Women’s PGA Championship as well as other golf news.