CHONGQING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Amateurs set the pace during first-round play of the ZF.Kove Chongqing Women's Open on Thursday as Zhuhai native Xu Ying and China's Hong Kong's Sophie Han each shot five-under 67 to share a one-stroke lead.
Fellow amateur Zhou Shiyuan, the defending champion, was equal third on 68 in a group that included Chinese professional Liu Yuqi and Thai veterans Kanyawat Poomklay, Nemittra Juntanaket and Supamas Sangchan.
Xu, who was sixth at last month's Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship in Vietnam, started her early morning round on the back nine and carded her first birdie on her second hole, the 11th hole, a 169-yard par-three. After making the turn at two-under 34, she posted three more birdies on the back nine, including one at the last.
"My iron shots into the greens were quite accurate today. Although some of my chips didn't catch the green, the recoveries were quite precise, which was good. My putting also performed well today," said Xu, 69th in the World Golf Amateur Ranking.
"Tomorrow, I'll just stick to playing normally, taking it shot by shot, staying patient and treating each shot seriously. Different holes require different strategies depending on the situation, so I'll plan accordingly for each shot."
Han, a 17-year-old who last year won the Reignwood CLPGA Classic in Beijing, opened with four birdies over the first five holes before dropping her only shot of the day at the par-four sixth hole. She would make two more birdies on the back nine.
"I'm quite satisfied with my driver and putting performance today. My irons were solid too. There was a brief period where my accuracy dipped slightly, but overall, I feel positive," said the teenager, 119th in the World Ranking.
Zhou, who played in the Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship earlier this month, expressed disappointment in her round that featured five birdies and a lone bogey at the 340-yard 12th hole.
"I missed some birdie opportunities, and that bogey on the 12th hole was completely unacceptable. I failed to sink a one-and-a-half-yard putt," said the 15-year-old Chongqing native who predicted a winning score of 10-under.
"Having played three consecutive weeks, I've had to push through physically. I didn't set very high expectations for myself, just aimed to play steadily and consistently."
Kanyawat, who had a runner-up last month on the Thai domestic tour, carded a round featuring six birdies, including one at the last, and two bogeys in the quest for her first pro win.
"I feel like comfortable with my game because today I just focused on my game and my plan, just keep doing my own thing," said the 24-year-old from Hua Hin. "I didn't think too much about score or the birdies or bogey that already happened." ■
