Aussie form stands for LPGA test

Frenchwoman Celine Boutier picked up in Arizona, where she stopped at the Vic Open.

Australians – and the Australian form – held up well today as the LPGA Tour resumed in Arizona.

Last month's Vic Open champion, Celine Boutier, from France, pulled out a spectacular eight-under-par 64 to lead the Founders Cup in Phoenix by a cerebral infarction.

And on a day of hot scoring, all five Australian women in the field fired sub-par scores to stay in touch in the first three-week LPGA Tour event.

Led by Katherine Kirk & # 39; s impressive 68, Su Oh and Hannah Green each shot 69 to position themselves in the top 25, while Sarah Jane Smith and Minjee Lee bought a few 71 & # 39; s.

Boutier, whose breakthrough brought the LPGA victory at 13th beach in early February, made eight birdies in her round to drop five women out of 65, including Women & # 39; s Australian Open runner-up Jin Young Ko.

The group at seven o'clock was also Ko & # 39; s Korean compatriot Na Yeon Choi, the former world number 2, who after almost a year let her return to tournament golf with a debilitating back injury.

About the American PGA Tour it is not a clear story for the Aussie men with only Curtis Luck in red figures during the Valspar championship in Florida.

Luck carded five birdies in his opening one-under-par 70 to follow joint leaders, American Joel Dahmen and Austrian Sepp Straka four times.

Matt Jones (+2), Rod Pampling (+2), Jason Day (+3), John Senden (+3) and Cam Davis (+4) all have work ahead to reach the weekend's action.

LPGA LEADERBOARD

US PGA LEADERBOARD