Grace Kim has made a quiet in the opening round of the US Women’s Amateur at Westchester Country Club in New York.
A two-time winner in the US this year on the Women’s All-Pro Tour, Kim carded a four-over-par 76 to be seven shots behind the leader, Thailand’s Suthave Chanachai, with a round remaining before the tournament’s knockout phase begins.
Despite a bright start with four straight pars, Kim found trouble on the front nine, with bogeys on the 5th and 8th to turn at two over.
The Avondale Golf Club gun’s only birdie for the day came on the par-five twelfth, but she couldn’t capitalise, giving the shot back on the very next hole.
Two more bogeys on the homeward stretch have left her on the cut-off bubble in 63rd place, with only the top 64 progressing to the matchplay rounds.
There are five Australians in the field this week, with Western Australia’s Maddison Hinson-Tolchard the best of the Aussies in a tie for 14th place after opening her campaign with a tidy even par 72.
Queensland’s Emily Mahar is two shots adrift of Kim after a five-over 77, while Belmont’s Mackensie Toole, currently studying at George Fox University, is another shot back after an opening 78.
Nambucca Heads Darcy Habgood is also still in with a shout of qualifying. However, she will need to go low tomorrow after her opening round of 77.
