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Rain and cloud cover made the course across the
Hudson River from Manhattan play longer than ever, and that much
was evident on the par-4 ninth hole. Korda and Jeeno Thitikul
each had to use fairway metals for their approach on the
429-yard hole.
“Just have to really dial into everything that you’re doing in
these conditions with it kind of being on-and-off rain and
getting colder and some wind,” Korda said. “So you just have to
really dial in, which we did a really good job with that.”
Somi Lee of South Korea had seven birdies in a round of 67 that
was slowed by two bogeys toward the end. She joined fellow
morning starter Andrea Lee (68) and Korda atop the leaderboard
at 8-under 136.
Korda, the No. 1 player in women’s golf by a big margin, has yet
to win this year. She won the Mizuho Americas Open a year ago
for her sixth victory of the season.
Thitikul, who had a two-shot lead at the start of the round
after opening with a 64, stretched her lead with three birdies
in four holes before her momentum stopped. She made four bogeys
the rest of the way, including a long three-putt on the ninth,
for a 73.
Thitikul, No. 2 behind Korda in the women's world ranking, was
in a large group at 137 that included Boutier (71), Carlota
Ciganda of Spain (70) and Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia (69).
“I thought it was tough but I was excepting it to be a lot
tougher,” Boutier said. “When it came down, it came down pretty
hard, so that was a bit tough. I think the toughest part was how
cold it got at the end. Definitely the hands were getting pretty
stiff and cold, so it was a little bit harder there.”
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