Haeran Ryu and Ariya Jutanugarn shake off major doldrums and have solid start on LPGA in Utah

San Francisco Chronicle​

02-05-2025

IVINS, Utah (AP) — Haeran Ryu and Ariya Jutanugarn didn't waste time moving on from the disappointment of the first LPGA major behind them, both opening with bogey-free rounds Thursday for an ideal start in the inaugural Black Desert Championship.
Ryu missed only one fairway, one green and took 27 putts in her round of 8-under 63, giving her a one-shot lead over Jutanugarn in the LPGA's return to Utah for the first time in just over 60 years. Black Desert hosted a PGA Tour event last fall.
Ryu shared the 54-hole lead last week in the Chevron Championship when nothing went right for her the final round. Even with an eagle on the final hole, she shot 76 and missed the playoff by two shots.
'I'm not change something from my mind, because last week it was tough golf course and this week it's tough, too,' Ryu said. 'Just thinking more accuracy for my shot, and I think same as last week.'
Jutanugarn had a rougher finish. She needed par on the last hole to win when the Thai stubbed a chip behind the green and wound up making bogey. In the five-player playoff, Jutanugarn lipped out on a 7-foot birdie putt as Mao Saigo won.
'I would say when I got here I felt like the course is really tough because like it's kind of new. It's different, really unique, really beautiful,' Jutanugarn said. 'But of course last week I didn't finish the way I want, but it's so many thing going on — like good things — and I just want to carry on from that and keep working as hard as I can.'
Jutanugarn, a former No. 1 player in women's golf, has gone four years without winning.
Saigo was among the late starters at Black Desert, a Tom Weiskopf design carved from a massive field of black lava amid red rock mountains, some 30 miles from Zion National Park.
It is the only golf course that hosts an official PGA Tour and LPGA Tour event.
Lucy Li birdied her last two holes for a 64, sharing third place with Esther Henseleit. Celine Boutier was among the group at 65.
'It's an amazing place. I've really enjoyed my past few days here. It's beautiful. It was kind of just the focus on refreshing and recharging after the major last week,' Henseleit said.
The scoring was low without much wind and relatively soft conditions. Henseleit said it was more about picking targets and being aggressive. Even so, there is enough rock framing the fairways to make targets appear smaller than they are.
And it doesn't take much to get in trouble.
'I would say this course can be really stressful because you kind of have to plan everything, every shot — tee shot, second shot, where to finish the ball,' Jutanugarn said. 'I'm very lucky this morning — no wind, so got a bit easier to finish the ball where I want to finish.'
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