The first round of the Four Winds Invitational has come to a close. After 18 holes of play, the top of the leaderboard is as tight as it can get with 12 players within a shot of the lead and 28 players within three shots of the lead. South Bend Country Club played tough but fair in round one, penalizing players who got too aggressive, but rewarded players who patiently waited for their moments.
Michaela Finn leads the way after a stellar first round. The Swede finished birdie-birdie to cap off her five-under round, with 12 players sitting just one stroke behind her. Finn made six birdies on the day, the only mistake coming on her 16th hole. The mistake late in the round was unfortunate, but the bounce back from Finn showed she was still on top of her game, and the mistake was just a fluke.
“I was really just hitting them pretty close and taking advantage of the nine and 6-footers that I had,” said Finn. “I was able to reach almost every par 5, so I took advantage of that too. I planned to hit away from the dangerous spots on the tee shots and was able to just give myself looks into the green.”
The gameplan was simple for Finn, hit away from dangerous spots and make the most of her opportunities. With ball striking at a premium at South Bend Country Club because of the small greens, Finn took advantage when she hit the dance floor. The only top finish from Finn this season came at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, where she finished T9. She has made several cuts throughout the year but hopes the Four Winds Invitational will be her breakout performance.
“My first plan is to try and hit some fairways,” said Finn. “From there, it is just trying to convert on the opportunities you have. The greens are pretty small out here, so really any putt you have, you’re not going to be too far off.”
One of the players in the group of 12 is LPGA Tour veteran Alena Sharp. Sharp has already secured a win earlier this year at the Champions Fore Change Invitational and is looking to add another trophy to her trophy case this week. The four-under 68 was the best round from Sharp in her past three tournaments as she looks to find her game again coming down the stretch. A win in South Bend would help secure her status back on the LPGA Tour, but right now, the Canadian sits just outside the cutline at No. 12. Sharp is still hard at work on her game and thinks she may have found some mojo on the greens at the Four Winds Invitational.
“I played really well last week, but I just didn’t putt well,” said Sharp. “I really worked on joust trying to make some putts this week in my practice rounds, and it translated to my round today. The greens are small here, so accuracy with your irons is important, and I was able to give myself a lot of short birdie putts today.”
Miranda Wang is at the four-under number with Sharp, but she also joins Sharp as a winner earlier this year. Wang picked up her first career Epson Tour victory at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa but has fallen on a rough patch since. Wang has found bits and pieces of her game over the past three events, collecting two top-20 finishes. Now heading into the last 36 holes, Wang has a chance to join an elite group and pick up her second win of the season.
“I started on No. 10 today, and I think the back nine is a little harder, so I was really trying to stay patient on that side and just make my pars,” said Wang. “After the turn, I made a birdie on No. 2, and I followed it with another three birdies. I was able to take advantage of the shorter holes on the front side of the golf course and it was good.
QUICK QUOTES
Cydney Clanton (-4, T2) on her 4-under opening round:
“The greens are firming up, and they are rolling really well. The pace of play was really great today too which helped me get into a good rhythm. Everyone in my group was paying quite well too so it was nice to feed off the energy of the group.”
Cassie Porter (-4, T2) on her strong putting performance in the first round:
“Putts were dropping today, and when that happens, you know it is going to be a good day. The putter was just hot, and all I really needed to do was to hit a few greens out there. I am happy with my performance today, and my game feels nice and solid heading into the weekend.
Lakareber Abe (-4, T2) on how to approach South Bend Country Club:
“The par 5’s were really gettable, and the rest of your holes, you are just trying to think your way around the course. You do not want to be above the hole, I was trying to land it like 5 or 6 yards short and let it roll up all day today. Anytime you can shoot four-under, it is a good round.”
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