Aditi makes strong start in Women’s PGA Championships

Currently 76 in world rankings and 57th in CME rankings on the LPGA Tour, Aditi has had an average start to the event.

Aditi, who missed the cut at the ANA Inspiration and subsequently missed the US Women’s Open, will be keen to make up here. (File Photo)

India’s Aditi Ashok, who opened with a steady 2-under 70, was tied 15th at the end of the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championships.

Starting on the tenth, she birdied on the 11th, 14th and 17th holes while dropping a shot on the 12th and turned in 2-under 34. On the second nine, the front side of the course, she had a bogey on the fifth and birdie on the seventh before ending the day at 70.

Aditi, who missed the cut at the ANA Inspiration and subsequently missed the US Women’s Open, will be keen to make up here. Currently 76 in world rankings and 57th in CME rankings on the LPGA Tour, Aditi has had an average start to the event.

The three-time winner on the LPGA Tour and 2017 US Women’s Open champion, Sung Hyun Park, surged to the top of the leader-board with a bogey-free 66 on day one.

She is one stroke ahead of 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Champion Brooke Henderson, Brittany Altomare, Jaye Marie Green and Jessica Korda at the 6,635-yard Kemper Lakes Golf Club.

Brooke Henderson recorded a 5-under par, 67 in the afternoon and is one behind the leader.

Among others, Moriya Jutanurgarn (68) is tied 6th, Michelle Wie (71) is tied 32nd, No. 1 on CME list Ariya Jutanurgarn (72) is tied 51 and Lydia Ko (74) is tied 86.