File photo of Aditi Ashok.
India's Aditi Ashok did not have the best of starts as she carded two-over 73 in the first round to lie tied 104th at the LPGA Classic in Galloway. The Indian will need a low second round to make the cut.
However, Megha Ganne, a local New Jersey amateur, who shot into fame by leading the US Women's Open and then finishing T-14, had a better day at one-under 70 and was T-51st. Ganne, playing on a sponsor exemption, played in the same group as Aditi and the local Indian fans loved it.
Aditi, starting on tenth, ran into early trouble with three bogeys between 12th and 15th but steadied with a string of pars. She had just one birdie on fourth for a two-over 73.
Ganne had two birdies and two bogeys on her first nine, the back stretch of the course, and one birdie and no bogeys on the front nine. On a day when low scores were aplenty, as many as 19 players shot 67 or better in the first round at the Bay Course in Galloway, N.J.
Jodi Ewart Shadoff, coming into the event after five straight missed cuts, shot six-under 65 and led the field alongside Korea's So Yeon Ryu.
The Englishwoman carded four birdies and an eagle to leap to the top of the leaderboard. Ewart Shadoff matched Ryu in score and her score included an eagle on the par-5 third. Ryu also had an eagle and five birdies and one dropped shot.
Eight players are one behind the leaders at Tied-third at 5-under. That includes No. 2 Jin Young Ko, LPGA Hall of Famer Inbee Park, 10-time LPGA Tour winner Brooke Henderson and Matilda Castren. Park is playing her first LPGA event since the AIG Women’s Open in August.
