SANYA LADIES OPEN IN TROPICAL CHINA VENUE

LIN GOES LOW WITH A 66 BUT SALLY 

WATSON STRUGGLES FOR A 76

NEWS RELEASE FROM LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
By BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager
SANYA, Hainan, China  – Lin Tzu-Chi of Chinese Taipei fired a six-under-par 66 to emerge from a packed leaderboard after the first round of the Sanya Ladies Open in tropical Hainan, China.
The 24-year-old sixth year professional from Taichung recorded nine birdies and three bogeys on a hot and sunny afternoon at Yalong Bay Golf Club to end the day two strokes clear of seven other players.
Lin began with a birdie on the first but said she got mad after dropping a shot on the short third and tried to recover her score.
 She then birdied the fourth, bogeyed the sixth and birdied the seventh before hitting six birdies and one bogey on the back nine.
“I had nine birdies and I didn’t even think I had that much because I had three bogeys and I was thinking I needed to recover those and do my best,” said Lin, who has three professional victories, including two on the China LPGA in 2013 and one on the US Symetra Tour in 2011.
The weather was more favourable than expected, with only a light, swirling breeze consistent throughout the day. Of the seven players on four under, Thailand’s Kusuma Meechai and Malene Jorgensen of Denmark also played in the afternoon.
Jorgensen, 28, from Odense, had two birdies on the front nine and two on the back and said that she was enjoying the 29C heat, having been practising outside in 10C back home in Denmark.
 Meechai, 19, from Prachinburi, had six birdies and two bogeys on her card.
Also on 68 are China’s young guns Lin Xi Yu and Wang Xi Yi, Babe Liu of Chinese Taipei, Australian Rebecca Artis and Frenchwoman Gwladys Nocera.
Lin Xi Yu had four birdies on the second, fifth, 13th and 14th holes. The second year professional from Guangzhou already has four top-10 finishes in this tournament and is one to watch, having won the CLPGA’s Sanya’s Hills Classic at nearby Dragon Valley Golf Club.
Lin was the youngest winner on the CLPGA last year when she won aged 16 years and six months, but that record was lowered by a month in August, when rising star Wang won the Xiamen Challenge at Orient Golf Club. 
The Beijing amateur, who has verbally committed to Stanford University in 2016, was pleased with her start, as her goal is to shoot three rounds in the 60s.
Charley Hull had a 70 but Sally Watson, chasing the Rookie of the Year award, has a lot of ground to make up after starting with a 76

FIRST-ROUND SCORES
66 Tzu Chi Lin (TPE)
68 Babe Liu (TPE) , Gwladys Nocera (FRA) , Xi Yu Lin (CHN) , Malene Jorgensen (DEN) , Kusuma Meechai (THA) , Ziyi Wang (CHN) , Rebecca Artis (AUS)
69 Nikki Campbell (AUS) , Liz Young (ENG) , Titiya Plucksataporn (THA)
70 Pavarisa Yoktuan (THA) , Yu Yang Zhang (CHN) , Chloe Leurquin (BEL) , Jienalin Zhang (CHN) , Numa Gulyanamitta (THA, Ziqi Ye (CHN) , Tiffany Tavee (USA) , Charley Hull (ENG) , Eleanor Givens (ENG) , Marion Ricordeau (FRA) , Yu Ting Shi (CHN) , Hsuan-Ping Chang (TPE) , Joanna Klatten (FRA)
71 Sophie Giquel-Bettan (FRA) , Huei Ju Shih (TPE) , Pei-Yun Chien (TPE) , Nikki Garrett (AUS) , Klara Spilkova (CZE) , Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA) , Bree Arthur (AUS) , Saaniya Sharma (IND) , Wichanee Meechai (THA)
72 Stephanie Na (AUS) , Stacey Keating (AUS) , Camilla Lennarth (SWE) , Ashleigh Simon (RSA) , Fabienne In-albon (SUI) , Tanaporn Kongkiatkrai (THA) , Holly Aitchison (ENG) , Hannah Burke (ENG) , Maria Hernandez (ESP) , Wannasiri Sirisampant (THA) , Sarah Kemp (AUS) , Qi Tian (CHN) , Cassandra Kirkland (FRA) , Felicity Johnson (ENG) , Caroline Afonso (FRA) , Zhang Wei Wei (CHN) , Valentine Derrey (FRA) , Lydia Hall (WAL) , Ai-Chen Kuo (TPE) , Pan Pan Yan (CHN) , Punpaka Phuntumabamrung (THA)
73 Li Qing Chen (CHN) , Florentyna Parker (ENG) , Sherman Santhiwiwatthanaphong (THA) , Ajira Nualraksa (THA) , Connie Chen (RSA) , Ainil Bakar (MYS) , Monique Smit (RSA) , Noora Tamminen (FIN), Nontaya Srisawang (THA), Ling Ling Tan (CHN) , Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER) , Yu-Ling Hsieh (TPE) , Kylie Walker (SCO)
74 Yan Hong Pan (CHN) , Jia Yun Li (CHN) , Pamela Pretswell (SCO) , Leigh Whittaker (GER) , Smriti Mehra (IND) , Hong Tian (CHN) , Thi Nhung Tang (VNM) , Grace Lee (KOR) , Yue Xia Lu (CHN) , Georgina Simpson (ENG) , Sahra Hassan (WAL) , Patricia Sanz Barrio (ESP) , Becky Brewerton (WAL), Melissa Reid (ENG) , Vikki Laing (SCO) , Becky Morgan (WAL) , Beth Allen (USA) , Minea Blomqvist (FIN)
75 Victoria Lovelady (BRA) , Saraporn Chamchoi (THA) , Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsakul (THA) , Alison Whitaker (AUS) , Mookharin Ladgratok (THA) , Maha Haddioui (MAR) , Hsin Ning Yeh (TPE) , Li Ying Ye (CHN) , Anais Maggetti (SUI) , Trish Johnson (ENG) , Caroline Martens (NOR) , Neha Tripathi (IND)
76 Whitney Hillier (AUS) , Tiranan Yoopan (THA) , Aunchisa Utama (THA) , Narisara Kerdrit (THA) , Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro (THA) , Sally Watson (SCO) , Janya Morrakotphan (THA) , Pennapa Pulsawath (THA) , Vani Kapoor (IND) , Cai Zhu Guo (CHN) , Louise Larsson (SWE)
77 Rungthiwa Pangjan (THA) , Mayumi Chinzei (JPN) , Xin Wang (CHN) , Jade Schaeffer (FRA) , Rebecca Codd (IRL)
78 Nimmita Juntanaket (THA)
79 Ashley Ona (AUS) , Jaruporn Na Ayutthaya (THA) , Mireia Prat (ESP)
80 Alexandra Vilatte (FRA) , Ankita Tiwana (IND)
83 Nanthikarn Rakasachat (THA)