Hannah hangs heavily on the day of chaos
Hannah Green makes birdie at 12 on day one of the Evian Championship 2019.
Excitement, a few nerves, panic, pride and then disappointment.
Hannah Green & # 39; s first competitive round since winning her first major championship had it all.
An opening 1-over 71 in the Evian championship could have been better, but also much worse, the typically cheerful West Australian who acknowledges that there is still a long way to go in the fourth major of the year and that she is still is hunting.
Green & # 39; s return to the LPGA Tour since winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship started with three bogeys in her first four holes and ended with a double bogey at 18, largely thanks to a fairway divot.
But anything that happened in between should encourage Aussie golf and Hannah Green fans.
Meanwhile, her play partner and 2018 Women & # 39; s Open Australian champion have set a fast pace in Evian, the Korean is calling a 6-under-65 to grab a share of the early clubhouse lead with Inbee Park.
"Even when I got home, I didn't really play golf," said Green.
“When I got the first tee, I wasn't too nervous until I hit the first tee. I was like "Oh wow, that's not exactly how I imagined that came from the sky!"
"Three-over to four was not exactly what I was looking for, but I was really proud that I at least got it back to -1 with one to play.
"I have enough golf left to be played in this championship."
Green & # 39; s first ride as a great champion is one she will no doubt want to forget, a pulled tee shot from the 1st bogey, but nothing worse.
Green found a fairway and a cart path on three on the way to another shot, before a 15-footer did not drop down the hill for par on the 4th and the alarm bells rang.
But the World No.25 beautifully maintained the ship, stiffening it to four feet on the par-3 8th before it transformed into a first birdie of the day the ball started rolling.
Green lost her drive on the par-5 9th on the right, but despite the fact that she had to abort her second, she kept the ball rolling with par.
Her second on the par-4 11 was also from the long grass, but Green's putter saved the day, the ball of the Western Australian took an eternity for birdie.
She split the fairway at 13 and a nice wedge left only eight feet to return to even-par. Green followed her putt and within two hours her hopes for back-to-back big championships had risen.
Another curling birdie tried to fall to 17 and while playing partner JY Ko had risen to part of the tournament lead, Green kept pace.
"I knew I just had greens here," said Green.
"That is what I did really well, not he nine years ago and gave myself more opportunities to make putts and then I also did many long putts.
"It was nice to see them fall, it certainly gave me a positive boost towards the end of the round."
But the luck of Green eventually ran out when her layout to the par-5 18th settled in a divot, the 22-year-old unable to carry the pond that protects the green.
However, it was no surprise to see Green with a smile on her face as she walked out of the scorer's hut barely five minutes later.
"I'm really glad I brought it to at least -1," said Green.
"Even the putt on the last one, although it didn't go in, I still rolled it very well and on my line.
"I can't be too disappointed."
The game was brought forward half an hour tomorrow, which means that the second round of Green now starts at 11:46 AM local time (7:46 PM AEST).