Women’s PGA Championship: Ina Yun leads as Nellie Korda’s bid falters

First round of the Women’s PGA Championship

-9 I Yoon (Core); -7 Kay Davidson (out); -5 A Kim (CORE), A Pano (USA); -4 A Krauter (Ger), H Choi (choir), M Khang (US)

Elected Others: -2 N Korda (USA); E L Wade (Eng.); +1 C Hull (Eng), M Rhodes (Eng), G Dryburgh (Sco), L Walsh (Ire)

Complete leaderboard

South Korea’s Ina Yun leads the Women’s PGA Championship by two shots after the first round as Nelly Korda’s hopes of a third major were dashed.

The 23-year-old made no bogeys in a nine-under-par 63 at Hazleton, Minnesota – and moved seven shots clear of the world number one. Repeat.

Yoon, who is in his second year on the LGPA Tour and has yet to finish higher than fourth, made nine birdies in a brilliant opening round.

Australia’s Karis Davidson was second on seven-under 65 and South Korea’s Ae-Lim Kim and America’s Alexa Pano tied for third on five-under.

“It was fun playing there,” Yun said. “I’m just trying not to think about anything. Focus on what I have to do. Focus on the process. That part, I think, I did great.”

American Korda is tied for 19th after making five birdies but also has a double bogey at the 16th hole.

The 27-year-old four-time major winner won the Chevron Championship In April and the US Women’s Open Earlier this month.

“Just had one bad swing to be honest, which ended up being a double. But overall, pretty happy with my day,” Korda said.

“I put myself in a good position. I’m really happy with the first day. You can’t win it on the first day, but you can definitely lose it. Overall happy with a tough start.”

The $13m (£9.8m) purse this week is the largest in women’s golf history, with $1.95m (£1.48m) awarded to the winner.