The marquee grouping of Ko, South Korean world number two Park In-bee (74) and third-ranked American Lexi Thompson (72) failed to spark as they struggled to a collective six-over-par in the opening round.
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Park’s five wins previous year included the Women’s British Open and a third consecutive LPGA Championship, the former completing her career Grand Slam. She won the 2012 Safeway Classic in OR for her lone tour title.
“Course condition was pretty wet, but I tried to be more aggressive, so that’s why maybe I played very well today”. She’s tied there with defending champ Minjee Lee and American Brittany Lincicome, who tees off this afternoon.
“The greens were faster this year than I’ve ever see them in my life.so that was obviously something I had to adjust to when I got out there because I couldn’t be as aggressive as I wanted to be”. The 19-year-old Australian won last year at Kingsmill in a Monday finish and added her second tour title last month in Hawaii. “I started off pretty well, made four birdies on the front nine, and then two on the back, and bogeyed the last”.
While she was unable to maintain her momentum on her back nine, which consisted of two birdies and a bogey, it was enough to give her the outright lead. Out of 616 members who voted, 36 percent were against allowing women.
“They’re not going to come to my teen level and talk to me in that way”, Ko said.
Muirfield has staged the British Open 16 times dating to 1892, most recently in 2013 when Phil Mickelson won.
“I’m here to play my own game, and I’m trying to hit the best shots that I can out there one shot at a time”.
“It’s a pretty cool pairing”, Ko said. “I was able to do a good job aiming for the pins”. Just personally, I didn’t feel like I was playing really bad out there. She referenced conversing with older Tour players such as Juli Inkster (55), Cristie Kerr (38) and Michelle Wie (26). She spent 3-4 hours Tuesday shooting two more LPGA commercials.
Ariya Jutanugarn had a 69.
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“The form was pretty good”, Park said.
