Charley Hull four strokes off lead at CME Group Tour Championship

Defending champion Charley Hull posted an opening-round 70 to get within four strokes of the early leaders at the CME Group Tour Championship.

Hull, who claimed a maiden LPGA Tour title in last year's event, mixed five birdies with a bogey and a double-bogey to stay in touch with pacesetters Sarah Jane Smith and Peiyun Chien.
Smith and Chien - both chasing their first LPGA Tour victories - carded blemish-free 66s to lead at Tiburon Golf Club, with Lydia Ko and Sung Hyun Park part of the group a shot off the pace.

"I holed some nice putts," Smith said. "It was a bit rough in the beginning, but (I) holed some nice putts for par and sort of kept it going, and then made some good birdies coming in."
Smith followed an eagle-three at the sixth with four gains in an eight-hole stretch from the eighth, as Chien birdied three of her five holes on her way to getting to six under.

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