Na Yeon Choi of Korea plays a shot on the 14th hole during the first round of the LPGA Tour Championship at Grand Cypress Resort on December 2, 2010 in Orlando, Florida.Sam Greenwood
The cold, piercing wind and the tricky, rolling greens of the Grand Cypress golf course took its toll on some of the best female golfers in the world at the LPGA Tour Championship on Thursday.
The elements made a mockery of the race for year-end honours among six top players including South Koreans Na Yeon Choi and Jiyai Shin.
But it opened the door for two other South Koreans, Amy Yang and Seon Hwa Lee, who both finished at a five-under par 67 after first-round play.
Yang was lucky. She didn't have to start until 11:40 a.m., when the wind had died down a little and the sun warmed things up. As it was, she decided to play conservatively and hope for pars on every hole. She found a few birdies along the way.
Cristie Kerr, also in the running for No. 1 player, shot 71, and feels fortunate to be tied for eighth place. "It's really tricky what they've done with the greens here, but you have to be patient," she said. "I knew that if I got into the red today, it would be a good start."
Choi ran into troubles mainly on the back nine holes, and although she birdied the first two, she was stung by two double bogeys in a row at holes 12 and 13, and then a bogey at 14. She managed to settle down to finish with a first-round score of 73, one over par.
Her biggest problem? "Slopey greens," she said. The balls wouldn't stop.
"I felt like I left a little bit out there," she said. "I still have a good feel about my game."
Shin had more difficulties, putting her clubs away after a five over 77. "I played well on the front nine, but on the back nine, my shots were a little bit bad," she said. "I made so many bogeys but it's the first round. The greens are so tough."
Ai Miyazato had troubles from the beginning, starting play very early and ended at 80.
Even Yani Tseng could do no better than three over at 75.
Canadian Lorie Kane snared a 78, but after a nightmare final hole, when her ball landed right against the ropeline, where some cables ran along the ground. Her ball landed in one of the holes from a spike holding the ropeline, and Kane tried to argue that the area of play had been damaged. The judges wouldn't go for it. She shot the ball out of a tufty piece of rough, and it sailed to the far side of the green.
The day dawned with frost on some car windows, and a stiff wind that drove veteran British golfer Laura Davies into long pants to play. She never wears long pants. But it seemed to work in her favour, because she is currently in a tie for fourth place, scoring a two-under 70.
Davies, 47, said the Grand Cypress course is her favourite course in Florida, where she often played in the late 1990s and 2000. "The layout is fantastic," she said. "And the grass is good, too.
"But I don't know what they did with the greens. Someone said Jack Nicklaus did it, but I don't believe that... He must have been having a very bad day."
And even though Choi had a rough day, Davies marvelled at the way she played the tricky 18th hole. "Na Yeon, she's one of the very best of them [South Koreans]" Davies said.
With only three or four yards to play with, Choi hit the ball right between the hazards.
"It was extraordinary," Davies said. "I can't imagine hitting it like that. And they are all the same. They hit it dead straight. It doesn't matter if it's a long course, short course, they are always up in contention. They all putt really well."