Aditi Ashok. File Pic
Clifton, NJ, May 13: Aditi Ashok had an up-and-down day with two early bogeys and two late bogeys with five birdies in between as she opened her campaign at the Cognizant Founders Cup with a 1-under 71 that placed her T-47 after the first round.
Playing at the Upper Montclair Country Club course, just off New York City, Aditi bogeyed the third and fourth to fall to 2-over, but five birdies on fifth, seventh, ninth, 12th and 15th brought her to a solid 3-under. She again faltered with bogeyed on 16 and 17 to finish at 1-under.
Madelene Sagstrom shot a flawless 9-under 63 to take one-stroke lead over Megan Khang after the first round. Nasa Hataoka, winner in Los Angeles in April, was third after a 65.
Bianca Pagdanganan, Amy Yang and Giulia Molinaro were tied for fourth at 66, a shot ahead of group that included Lexi Thompson and Minjee Lee. Two-time defending champion and top-ranked Jin Young Ko shot a 69.
Sagstrom, second at the Women’s British Open last year, birdied her first four holes, then another on seventh. She made three in a row from 12th to 14th and yet another on 16th for nine in a bogey-free round.
Khang, who like Sagstrom played in the afternoon, and made eight birdies in her 64.
The event honours the 13 founding members of the LPGA Tour. The field of 144 will be cut to the low 70 and ties after the second round of the 72-hole tournament Friday.
Anna Davis, the 16-year-old who won the recent Augusta National Women’s Amateur, shot a 70 playing on a sponsor’s exemption. She made the cut in the Palos Verdes Championship in California, which was won by Marina Alex.
