March 16, 2018: There was plenty of wind and the conditions were cold. The average first round scores in the Bank of Hope Founders Cup finished in over par territory for the first time since 2011. It was under these conditions that Aditi Ashok posted a finely crafted 70 to end the first day with the leaders well within her sights. Chella Choi and Karine Icher are the two women at the top of the leaderboard after making a brilliant 67. Inbee Park and Ariya Jutanugarn are among a group of six women that shot 68 on Thursday.
Icher made a hot start – firing five birdies in her first eight holes, before padding it up to 7-under with birdies at 11 & 14. Only a late spill – bogeys at 15 & 17 – left her in a tie for the lead.
“It’s completely different,” Icher said of the Wildfire Golf Club. “The fairway doesn’t roll at all and big rough. Last year we had much more roll off the fairway and no rough. And the wind. The wind and the temperature. Usually in Phoenix we play in the 90s; today was probably in the 70s, or 60s this morning. So it’s a different course, but we have to adapt.”
Choi was also in a similar situation, firing four birdies in her first five holes to inch up the order. The Korean remained clean through her round before a three-putt at the final hole saw her concede a stroke to the biting course.
Aditi started her day with a couple of pars before the wind got her number at the 12th and 14th holes. The young Indian bounced back with a birdie at the 16th, as she made the turn in 37 strokes.
The teenager from Bengaluru turned the heat up on second nine, reeling off four birdies to sign off with an 18 hole score of two under 70.
Aditi made 10 of 14 fairways and rescued herself without any damage on the one occasion when she landed in the sand. It took the nineteen-year-old 28 putts to get through her first 18 holes.
Michelle Wie is back on song and how. Eleven of her last twelve rounds have been under par and she has only recently won for the first time since 2014. Wie was happy with a two under 70 to start off her week in the desert.
“On this course generally you feel like you have to shoot 10-under par every day,” explained Wie. “Today definitely played a little bit differently. It was a little chilly with the wind. I hit a lot longer shots in today than I usually do, so it definitely played tougher.”
“Every putt I hit, every shot I hit, I just want to build more confidence. Definitely having a lot of fun out there, and I think that’s the most important thing.”
An incredible 14 women are lying T17, among the group are Beth Allen, Wie and Aditi.
