Buick LPGA Shanghai R1

October 17-20
Qizhong Garden Golf Club, Shanghai, China
$2,100,000
Round 2, Round 3, Round 4

Amy Yang and Nasa Hataoka returned first-round 67s on Thursday and share the lead after 18 holes at the 2019 Buick LPGA Shanghai. Both players carded six birdies to just one bogey in their rounds, with Yang leading the field by hitting 17 of 18 greens.

“I’m happy how I played today,” said Yang, who won February’s Honda LPGA Thailand for her fourth career LPGA victory. “My swing felt very stable out there and hit some lot of solid shots out there and making some good putts, so it’s been a good round.”

Hataoka comes to Shanghai as one of the hottest players in women’s golf. The native of Ibaraki, Japan, has not finished outside the top seven in her last five events across the LPGA and JLPGA Tours, including two JLPGA major wins at the Japan LPGA Championship Konica Minolta Cup and the Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship. She visited the LPGA Tour’s victory circle at the 2019 Kia Classic.

Americans Jessica Korda and Angel Yin are tied for third at -4. Defending champion Danielle Kang is one of seven players tied for fifth at -3 alongside the English trio of Bronte Law, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Mel Reid.

Law carded four birdies and a solitary bogey at Qizhong Garden Golf Club, while Solheim Cup team-mate Ewart Shadoff recovered from a double bogey on the fourth with the aid of an eagle and three birdies in her last five holes.

Reid, who was a vice-captain for Europe’s dramatic triumph at Gleneagles in September, carded five birdies and two bogeys in a three-under-par 69 which was also matched by Danielle Kang, Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson and Jennifer Kupcho.

Former Women’s British Open champion Georgia Hall is four shots off the pace following a 71.

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