On September 15, 2024, in the second round of the Solheim Cup 2024 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, USA, Team Europe’s Charley Hull makes a shot from the third tee in single matches versus Team USA. Required Credit: Imagn Images/Aaron Doster
At the Ford Championship in Chandler, Arizona, Charley Hull of England shot a career-low, 9-under-par 63 on Thursday to seize the lead in the first round.
Hull is now one stroke ahead of Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen after a bogey-free round at the Cattail Course of Whirlwind Golf Club.
Four South Koreans—Ina Yoon, Jin Hee Im, Mi Hyang Lee, and Sei Young Kim—are tied for third place at 7 under with Amanda Doherty, Taiwan’s Peiyun Chien, Japan’s Minami Katsu, and Canada’s Brooke M. Henderson.
World No. 1 and defending winner Nelly Korda tied for 17th place with a 5-under 67.
At the turn, Hull had four birdies and started on the back nine. She went on to make two more birdies after making Nos. 1, 2, and 3. She made the green on all 18 holes in regulation and placed the ball in 11 of 14 fairways overall.
“I kind of tweaked my driver at the beginning of the week… and I really, really, really hit it well today,” Hull, who finished 2022 with his most recent of two LPGA victories, remarked. “I thought that put me in a lot of advantageous situations. I made a decent putt. I did a decent job chipping. With my iron shots, I struck it fairly well. I didn’t actually miss any fairways, and I don’t believe I missed any greens.
“I felt confident and was hitting it well. It felt fantastic to be outside.
At the par-4 fifth hole, Koerstz Madsen made nine birdies to tie Hull, but she also made one bogey.
Koerstz Madsen, who tied for the second-lowest score of her LPGA career, stated, “Stayed in fairways, so that made it a little easier.” “I enjoyed making a birdie on ten.” It hit the flagstick and went straight in, so it was a good shot. I hit it in the bunker, and my bunker shot would have undoubtedly gone eight feet past. Apart from that, I made a few solid putts and a few solid birdies.
Korda had two birdies and one bogey to begin her title defense at just 1 under par, but she went on to make consecutive birdies at Nos. 12–14 and No. 17.
After earning consecutive top-10 results to begin the season, she took a six-week hiatus.
“When you take that much time off and you come back into competition, … you’re rusty, (you feel) a lot more nerves,” Korda commented. I’m really pleased with how today turned out. battled back on the back nine after being a touch slower on the front nine. I hope we can continue that momentum tomorrow.
