China’s Yan Liu and South Korea’s Haeran Ryu both carded bogey-free 65s to take a two-shot lead at 7-under at The Chevron Championship on Thursday.
Liu is making her second start in the event and missed the cut last year. She is playing in her fifth start this season and has made three cuts with a season-best finish of T32 at last week’s JM Eagle LA Championship.
Liu’s career-best finish on the LPGA was third at the 2023 ShopRite LPGA Classic.
“Today my driver is pretty good, pretty solid,” said Liu. “So last week I do the pretty good, too, but not the driver. So this week I fixed my driver so it’s feel very solid golf today. On the course I’m pretty confidence today. I just feel the weather is so good and temperature is perfect for me.”
Ryu is making her third start in The Chevron Championship, she finished T56 in 2023 and solo 5th in 2024. Her best finish so far this season was T14 at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and Honda LPGA Thailand.
She has won twice on the LPGA Tour at the 2023 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship as a rookie and at the inaugural FM Championship in 2024.
She was named the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year in 2023.
“After the Match Play we have a week off, off week, only one week, so I was to practice a lot that putter,” said Ryu. “But I’m not sure to trust for that putter on the JM Eagle, so first round I’m not use that. But my score is too bad first round and I just change it on the second round. It’s pretty good day again. Yeah, and then I can trust it. I can change the putter this week.”
Korean Hyo Joo Kim lies in solo third place at 5-under having made two bogeys.
Defending champion Nelly Korda shot a first-round 77 and lies in T118 at 5-over. Her highest round since an 81 in R2 of the 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
The first round was suspended at 6:25 p.m. CT on Thursday due to dangerous weather conditions. Play will resume at 7:15 a.m. on Friday.
Eight groups are yet to finish their first round following the suspension of play.
