‘Embrace it’: unsung Aussie eyes major golf spoils
Darren Walton |
Unfancied Karis Davidson has upstaged superstars Minjee Lee and Hannah Green to be the leading Australian and right in the mix for the biggest pay day in women’s golf history.
Davidson fired a superb seven-under-par 65 to be solo second, just two shots off the pace after the first round of the $US13 million ($A18.3 million) Women’s PGA Championship in Minnesota.
Without a top-20 finish in her previous four majors, and boasting just one low-level professional victory, the 27-year-old arrived at the famed Hazeltine National Golf Club living very much in the shadows of Lee, Green and the four other Australians in the 156-strong field.
But she produced one of the rounds of her life to burst to prominence and thrust herself firmly into contention for the eye-watering $US1.95 million ($A2.82 million) winner’s cheque.
Holing more than 150 feet in putts, Davidson rattled in eight birdies in total, four on a flawless front nine and four more on the back.
After starting from the 10th tee, her lone bogey came at the par-4 sixth, but Davidson brushed off the blemish to immediately birdie the next hole to return to six under, then drain another on the last in a brilliant finish to the low round of the afternoon.
“I was quite surprised the wind didn’t pick up as much as I thought,” Davidson said.
“It was really nice to get out first in the afternoon field because the greens were in better condition, I felt, to roll them. It was really fun.”
While flying under the radar, the Gold Coast talent credits striking a work-life balance for enjoying a breakout year on the LPGA Tour.
“I just know there is more to life than just golf,” Davidson said.
“So that’s given me a really good perspective. When I’m on the course I can just enjoy it. If it’s a bad day, it’s a bad day. If it’s a good day, really take it all in and really embrace it.
“Like it’s really awesome to have an amazing score any day at golf, so you’ve just got to take it.”
Only Ina Yoon is above her on a stacked leaderboard after the South Korean was out early and tearing up the course with a nine-under 63, the lowest opening round in the tournament’s 71-year history.
Yoon’s compatriot A Lim Kim and American Alexa Pano are joint third at five under.
Thailand’s world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul and major winners Ayaka Furue of Japan and Canadian Brooke M Henderson are all lurking in an 11-way tie for eighth after carding three-under 69s.
American world No.1 Nelly Korda started with a 70 in her quest for a third major of the year having already won the Chevron Championship and US Open crowns.
Inbee Park in 2013 and Babe Zaharias in 1950 are the only women who have won each of the first three majors in one calendar year.
Defending champion Lee, hunting a fourth career major, couldn’t buy a putt in opening with a one-under 71 that left the world No.9 eight shots off the pace in joint-27th spot.
Green, who went wire to wire at Hazeltine in 2019 to capture her maiden major, began with an even-par 72, as did 2025 Evian Championship winner Grace Kim and Robyn Choi.
Fellow Australians Gabriela Ruffels (73) and Cassie Porter (74) have battles on their hands to make the halfway cut.
AAP