2006 Macau LAGT Championship - Round 1: Ye takes one shot lead in Macau

China’s Ye Liying fired a 3-under 68 to take a one shot lead in the US$80,000 LAGT Macau Championship at the par-71 Macau Golf and Country Club here today.

The 28-year-old ebony-haired lass from Shanghai posted five birdies against two bogeys for her total. Play was delayed for about an hour due to heavy fog and poor visibility.

Ye came to Macau and was lucky to have an old friend working here as her caddy. “He was good and knew the course at the back of his fingers, especially the greens. That helped my short game as I was enjoying quite a bit with my driver and received good tips from my caddy for my mid-iron shot and reading of lines on the greens,” she said.

In tied second spot with one stroke adrift were Thailand’s Chutichai Porani, Brazil’s Maria IIda Priscilla, Korea’s Park Haen-nim and another Chinese Wu Honglian.

Ye, with one-year’s experience playing the US LPGA and the Futures Tour said: “I felt it was a good day for me. So, I’m encourages about that. I felt that I hit the ball solidly. Did not make many mistakes.”

However, after earning her card to play the Futures Tour this year, Ye lamented that she would not be going to play in the US. “I have no sponsors and I cannot afford to play and stay in the US. So, I’m going to concentrate in the Ladies Asian Golf Tour and other tournaments in China and maybe elsewhere to earn enough money to go back to the States.”

Malaysian Ladies Open winner Ji Eun-hee joined four other players – Makiko Hasegawa of Jhapan, Lee Jeong-eun of Korea, Kinue Matsubara of Japan and Thailand’s Nontaya Srisawang for tied sixth spot.

Maria’s the sole representative from Brazil said she was happy with her game today.

“We had to wait a little longer that our tee times due to the delay in start. So I was out at the putting greens and got a good feel of my putter. It helped me. The delay was a blessing n disguise,” she said.

In search of a victory, Maria said: “I had a lot of good driving and iron play. I holed a few putts. Overall I feel good about my game.”

Leading scores:

68: Ye Liying (Chn)
69: Chutichai Porani (Tha); Park Haen-nim (Kor); Wu Honglian (Chn); Maria Iida Pricsilla (Bra)
70: Makiko Hasegawa (Jpn); Lee Jeong-eun (Kor); Kinue Matsubara (Jpn); Nontaya Srisawang (Tha); Ji Eun-hee (Kor)
71: Tracy Locsin (Phi); Kim Eun-hee (Kor)
72: Elizabeth McKinon (NZ); Moon Ji-hee (Kor); Kim Hae-jung (Kor); Chen Kuan Pei (Tpe); Rungthiwa Pangjun (Tha); Mika Kimura (Jpn)

March 22, 2006

Bookmark page with:

Return to Top of Page