LIVE: Amateur Choi jumps out of gates
FOLLOW THE TOURNAMENT:
10:15:
Veteran five-time champion Karrie Webb has set the masses on fire with a stunning start of the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open.
The 44-year-old Webb, who now plays part time, rolled into the birdie putts on the last nine, after he started on the 10th hole, to take the lead in the $ US1.3 million tournament in The Grange in sublime conditions this morning.
The World Golf Hall or Famer Webb used a windless morning and made a nice chip and put birdie on the par-5 13th hole and then hit him close to the par-three 14th for another birdie. After a lip-out birdie-putt on the 15th, she again slammed close to the par-four 16th and rolled into the putt of five feet, and repeated the exercise on the 16th and beat it to two meters.
At this point she was four-substandard and as a rule ahead, but she was soon joined by Jodi Ewart Shadoff of England, who had made four birdies in her opening eight holes.
Webb won previous national Opens in 2000, 2002, 2007, 2008 and 2014.
The New South Wales amateur Doey Choi was another player who was early from the fight and at one point reached three-under and a part of the leadership, but she dropped shots on the 10th and 11th holes.
World number 1 Ariya Jutanugarn is due to exit at 12.34pm.
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09:00:
Doey Choi from Sydney has started her LPGA Tour career with a sparkling touch and jumps to a part of the early lead at the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open in Adelaide.
Choi, who turned 19 earlier this week, an amateur who represented Concord Golf Club, put the nerves in her national championship debut birdie the long first aside and followed with another one on the par five fifth.
She shares the lead with American Sarah Schmelzel, Puerto Rican Maria Torres and world No.19 Moriya Jutanugarn in perfect conditions to score at The Grange Golf Club.
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7:15 am:
The players on the track and the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open are on their way to The Grange in Adelaide.
Perfect conditions greeted the players on the western course while the first groups left at 7 o'clock in the morning, led away by two young girls from the My Golf participation program.
Australia's highest ranked player, Minjee Lee, is on the track at 7.55 am, in the group behind veteran Karrie Webb, the five-time winner.
Canadian Alena Sharp made a shocking start of the tournament with an eagle three at the par-five tenth hole, her first for the day, but unfortunately gave it back to the next hole with a double bogeyman.
On a windless morning the players expect to make a lot of birdies.
World number 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, from Thailand, plays today at 12.34.
The Open, valued at $ US1.3 million, is part of the LPGA Tour.
