MADEIRA, Ohio – The first round of the LPGA’s Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G kicked off Thursday morning at Kenwood Country Club under clear skies.
The battle for the top of the leaderboard was heated, but Nasa Hataoka found herself on top early with a 7-under round of 65 to pace the field. Hataoka is followed by Sarah Kemp and A Lim Kim, both at 6-under. While Hataoka’s scorecard didn’t feature any eagles, she did card eight birdies and only one bogey.
Amateur sensation Gianna Clemente, the 14-year-old who Monday qualified after shooting a 65, shot a bogey-free 2-under 70, good enough to be T-22 alongside fellow amateur and Xavier University golfer Emma McMyler.
Also at 2 under is LPGA pro Jillian Hollis, whose caddie, Luke Brennaman, helped her avoid penalty strokes by identifying she had 15 clubs in the bag before teeing off.
On the opposite end of the leaderboard, Minjee Lee, the top-ranked player on the LPGA, found herself T-138 after carding a 4-over 76. Brooke Henderson, the fifth-ranked player and one of Lee’s playing partners this week, finished with a 1-under 71.
Perhaps the most interesting round of the morning wave came from Paula Creamer, who was grouped with Lee and Henderson. Creamer’s adventure around the Kendale course included a double bogey on the par-4 16th hole, a hole-out eagle at the par-4 fifth hole and a hole-in-one on the par-3 eighth hole.
This is the first time the highest level of professional women’s golf has been played in Cincinnati since 1989 when the Jack Nicklaus Golf Center near Kings Island hosted the LPGA Championship.
Built in 1930, Kenwood also hosted the U.S. Women’s Open in 1963.
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