GALLOWAY, N.J. — Elizabeth Szokol birdied the primary 5 holes and shot an 8-under 62 on Friday for a share of the first-round lead with Ilhee Lee within the ShopRite LPGA Traditional.
Enjoying within the afternoon on Seaview’s Bay Course, Szokol adopted her opening birdie run with a bogey on No. 6, then added birdies on Nos. 8, 9, 13 and 16.
“Completely happy to get off to an amazing begin and actually wanting ahead to the weekend,” Szokol mentioned. “Plenty of golf left. Actually excited to see good golf and exhausting work paying off right now.”
The 30-year-old American teamed with Cheyenne Knight to win the 2023 Dow Nice Lakes Bay Invitational for her solely tour victory.
Prime-ranked Nelly Korda opened with a 71, and No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul had a 68. Maja Stark, the U.S. Ladies’s Open winner Sunday at Erin Hills, shot 70.
Lee birdied three straight holes 3 times — on Nos. 3-5, 8-10 and 16-18 — and had one bogey in her morning spherical. The 36-year-old South Korean received the 2013 Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Traditional for her lone tour title.
“I haven’t got expectation,” Lee mentioned. “I simply play golf. I simply come out, have enjoyable. That is all I do.”
Akie Iwai of Japan was third after a 65 in certainly one of solely two 54-hole tournaments left on the LPGA Tour schedule. The opposite is the Walmart NW Arkansas Open.
“Usually 4 days, so I really feel quick, shorter event,” Iwai mentioned. “That is why we should make lots birdies.”
Wei-Ling Hsu was at 66 with Aline Krauter, Ayaka Furue, Polly Mack, Saki Baba, Dewi Weber and Gurleen Kaur.
Defending champion Linnea Strom shot 72.
