By Rory Carroll
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -Englishwoman Mel Reid played a nearly flawless opening round in chilly conditions at the U.S. Women’s Open on Thursday to take a one stroke clubhouse lead as she looks to claim her maiden major title.
Reid mixed five birdies with a bogey to card a four-under par 67, one stroke ahead of America’s Angel Yin at San Francisco’s foggy and difficult Olympic Club, where many in the field were struggling to break par.
Seven players were tied for third at one under when Reid headed to the clubhouse.
American Jessica Korda, playing alongside her sister Nelly, jumped out to an early lead after she birdied three of her first five holes but struggled to hit the narrow fairways as the day wore on and was even par heading into her final hole.
The sun was beginning to break through for the afternoon wave of players, which included defending champion A Lim Kim of South Korea and Brooke Henderson of Canada.
Thursday marked the first time that the oldest women’s major has been played at The Olympic Club, a course that has hosted five U.S. Opens.
A limited number of fans are on site at the 76th edition of the tournament, which because of the coronavirus pandemic had no fans on site last year.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Richard Pullin)