Jessica Korda shoots 7-under 64 to take LA Open lead

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Jessica Korda tees off at the first hole during the first round of the LPGA's Hugel-Air Premia LA Open golf tournament at Wilshire Country Club Wednesday, April 21, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

LOS ANGELES ā€“ Jessica Korda birdied three of the final four holes for a 7-under 64 and a one-stroke lead Wednesday after the first round of the HUGEL Air Premia LA Open.

Korda had eight birdies and a bogey at Wilshire Country Club to match the tournament scoring record set by Megan Khang and Annie Park in 2019.

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ā€œThis isnā€™t an easy golf course at all,ā€ Korda said. ā€œI was lucky to be able to position myself in the right spots off the tee and take advantage of the short putts that I did have for birdie.ā€

Korda won the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in January for her sixth LPGA Tour title, and sister Nelly Korda followed with a victory a month later in the Gainbridge LPGA in the second event of the year.

ā€œWeā€™re not playing in Asia next two weeks,ā€ Jessica Korda said. ā€œTaking those three weeks off, and the summer is so busy. Just going to pace ourselves. Got some big events coming up that I would like to be prepared for, and thatā€™s kind of what my team and I are concentrating on.ā€

Tiffany Chan and Moriya Jutanugarn were a stroke back. Chan played at Southern California.

ā€œMy goal was to try not to be too aggressive because itā€™s my home course so I know the course really well,ā€ Chan said. ā€œSo, I still tried to be a little more conservative.ā€

Nelly Korda was two strokes back at 66 with Dana Finkelstein, Su Oh, Carlota Ciganda and Austin Ernst.

Michelle Wie West matched Lexi Thompson with a 70.

Lydia Ko opened with a 78, four days after winning the Lotte Championship in Hawaii at 28-under 260.

Patty Tavatanakit had a 75 in her first event since winning the ANA Inspiration for her first major and first LPGA Tour victory.


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