By: Max Bechtoldt
China’s Ruoning Yin had a masterful day on Thursday, shooting a bogey-free 65 to get to -7 for the tournament. It was the first round without a bogey of the week so far.
Yin started off on fire right away, with birdies on the first three holes of the day. While her ball-striking cooled a bit, her putter stayed red hot as she got a birdie on 7 to wrap up her opening nine at -4. On the back, it was about maintaining on the much more difficult side. She grabbed a birdie on the par 3 11, and then had fours on the two par 5s of the nine as well. She hit a brilliant bunker shot on 18 that was probably her best of the day.
The 21-year-old major champion was first in the field in putting on Friday and seventh in strokes gained approach. That’s a guaranteed recipe for success any time you hit the course.
Her playing partner, world No. 1 Nelly Korda, was keeping in lock step with Yin for the first 15 holes. Korda’s game looked flawless as she was in full machine mode. Her putting was drastically improved and she hit seemingly every fairway and green. But, in a bit of deja vu from her disaster in the U.S. Women’s Open, Korda had a quadruple bogey on the par 3 16 after hitting in the water and the bunker. In her post-round interview she described it as a “disaster”. Korda then bogeyed 17 before getting one stroke back on 18. She now sits six shots back of leader Morgane Metraux and three shots back of the medal stand.
Celine Boutier also had a rough go at it on Thursday. The round one leader, playing in her home country, shot a back nine 41, including three sixes in a row from holes 13-15. She now is at -3.
All three Americans are under par, with Rose Zhang joining Korda at -2, while Lilia Vu is at -1.
