South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi opened the Buick LPGA Classic with an 8-under-par 64 on Thursday for a three-shot lead in Shanghai.
Her bogey-free first round at Sheshan Golf Club included four straight birdies at Nos. 2-5 and birdies at three of the four par-5s.
“I really feel like I’m kind of exhausted. Today was — like I feel like I really did hard work today,” Choi said. “Some of the situations I felt like couldn’t make a par save but I made a good shot and good putt on the par saves, and I’m really satisfied about myself.”
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda is three shots back in second place after carding eight birdies and three bogeys.
“I think I just have to be patient,” Ciganda said. “I mean, I think it’s a course that, I mean, 3-, 4-under a day, it’s a great score. So, yeah, I mean, four days, it’s a long week, so happy to start like this but lots of work to do.”
Australia’s Grace Kim, Japan’s Rio Takeda, Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen and hometown favorite Ruoning Yin are tied for third at 4-under.
Yin, who won the tournament in 2024, finished her round of 68 with three consecutive birdies.
“Those three birdies I made at the last definitely boost some confidence in me,” Yin said. “I just felt like I’ve been hitting good and just I missed two really short putts on the back nine which made me mad, so I was playing the last three holes with anger.”
Yin said having fun in front of the home crowd is her No. 1 goal this week.
“The fans are amazing and they’re rooting for me if I play bad or no matter I played bad or good, they just always cheering for me, which I really appreciate it,” she said. “But, you know, I still want to have a better performance for the next three days. Just, you know, make them proud.”
Defending champion Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, who defeated Japan’s Minami Katsu in a five-hole playoff last year, shot 69 and is in a five-way tie for seventh.
This is the sixth edition of the Buick LPGA Shanghai and the first at the 6,735-yard Sheshan Golf Club, which previously hosted the HSBC Champions tournament 11 times.
Shanghai is the first of four events on the LPGA Tour’s late-season Asian Swing, with upcoming stops in South Korea, Malaysia and Japan.