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SCMP Sport

Agence France-Presse

England’s Charley Hull enjoyed a superb finish, with four birdies on the back nine on the Old Course at St Andrews, to lead the Women’s British Open with a five-under par opening round of 67.
China’s Yin Ruoning was a shot further back after battling the worst of the windy conditions, and had reached six-under through 14 before dropping a couple of shots on the way home.
Bidding for her first major title after finishing runner-up in both last year’s Women’s British Open and Women’s US Open, Hull was in a star-studded group that also featured defending champion Lilia Vu and world No 1 Nelly Korda.
“I would take that 100 per cent,” the 28-year-old said. “I’m happy with that score, and I’m just looking forward to going out tomorrow and being patient again.”
The trio clearly brought the best in each other’s games, with Korda – who won the season’s first major, the Chevron Championship – in a tie for second on four-under and Vu one of several players a stroke further back.

Yin, a former world No 1, started her day on the 10th hole, and said making “the wind my friend” had helped her to a hugely creditable four-under 68, on a day when gusts reached up to 30 miles an hour.
“I don’t have that much experience playing links golf, and honestly, I had to calculate the wind when I putt, which was a first. I really enjoyed it,” Yin said, adding a “good attitude” would be the key to surviving the week.
Of the seven birdies that dotted her scorecard, Yin said the one on the par-4 17th, which came immediately after dropping a shot, had been not only the highlight of her day, but her “favourite birdie of the year”.
“I was on the left rough and then the pin was just over probably 15 yards over the hill,” Yin said. “I hit a really smart shot there. Just tried to hit a lower 7-iron and land it in front of the green and let it roll. It was perfect … to five feet.”
Yin held the outright lead for most of Thursday before being surpassed by Hull.
“I was watching it on the TV when I saw the scores, and I thought, how is [Yin] four-under-par?” Hull said. “That was an unbelievable score. To go out there, shoot five-under, play pretty solid, it was a lot of fun.”
Bidding to become the first home winner of the tournament since England’s Georgia Hall in 2018, Hull reached the turn in one-under par.
But it was a very different story on the way back in, with Hull landing three birdies in six holes to share the lead with Yin before a closing birdie on the 18th gave her sole possession of first place.
Andrea Lee, Patty Tavatanakit, Lee Mi-hyang, Mao Saigo and Jenny Shin finished alongside Vu on three under.
Hall, meanwhile, dramatically eagled her final hole, the ninth, to finish on one-under alongside Linnea Strom.


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Golf

Yin Ruoning cards 4-under-par 68 to end first round a stoke behind England’s Charley Hull at St Andrews


Yin Ruoning cards 4-under-par 68 to end first round a stoke behind England’s Charley Hull at St Andrews.


China’s Yin makes ‘wind her friend’ to sit one shot off lead at blustery British Open

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Yin Ruoning cards 4-under-par 68 to end first round a stoke behind England’s Charley Hull at St Andrews

Yin Ruoning cards 4-under-par 68 to end first round a stoke behind England’s Charley Hull at St Andrews