Jodi Ewart Shadoff is yet to find a win in the LPGA Championship; She carded eight-under-par 64 on day one of the Mediheal Championship; Alison Lee and Ruixin Liu are tied for second
Last Updated: 07/10/22 7:37am
Jodi Ewart Shadoff is yet to secure an LPGA Tour win but has set herself up nicely on day one of the Mediheal Championship
England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff, a 34-year-old veteran still looking for her first career LPGA Tour win, holds a two-shot lead after the first round of the LPGA Mediheal Championship on Thursday.
Ewart Shadoff carded an eight-under-par 64 at The Saticoy Club while Alison Lee and China’s Ruixin Liu are tied for second at 66, with Danielle Kang, South Africa’s Paula Reto and Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul sharing fourth place at 67.
Ten players are tied for seventh place at 68.
Ewart Shadoff has finished in the top 10 on tour 27 times, including this year at the LPGA Match-Play when she tied for fifth and the ShopRite LPGA Classic when she finished third.
On Thursday, she started on the back nine and opened with a birdie, then added an eagle at the par-five 14th hole.
She made the turn following consecutive birdies, then had her lone bogey of the day at the par-four first hole before finishing hot and making four straight birdies ahead of a closing par.
Lee’s bogey-free round concluded with four birdies on the front nine.
“I feel like I was hitting it really good all day today,” Lee said.
“I feel like I pretty much hit all my shots in makeable birdie range.
“I could have made a lot more…. I just feel like I played really awesome today.
“I would say it’s not a super easy course. It felt easy today obviously because I played so well. Other than that, you definitely need to think a little bit when you hit your approach shots and really need to keep in mind where the pin is and where the slopes are, too.”
Liu was one over par through five holes, but a string of four consecutive birdies straddling the turn sparked her bogey-free run for the rest of the round.
Kang produced a strong round in her homecoming to Ventura County, where she grew up.
“All my friends aren’t out here yet, so I’ll let you know when they all come,” Kang said.
“My brother coming is a big deal for me, because I love it when he watches.
“He’s kind of my big teacher. He always knows how my game works.
“Today, he’s going to tell me what went well and what didn’t, and I learn from that.”
Defending champion Matilda Castren of Finland, who established the event’s scoring record of 14-under 274 while beating Taiwan’s Min Lee by two shots last year, is tied for 71st after a one-over 73. Lee is tied for 39th at one-under
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