Ashleigh Buhai got her 2023 campaign off to a good start on Thursday as she signed for a bogey-free three-under-par 69 in the first round of the season-opening LPGA Tour event, the Hilton Gran Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida.
It’s a low-key pro-am event with just 29 professionals – all tournament winners from last season – and Buhai, the AIG Women’s Open and Australian Open champion, found herself in a share of third, two shots behind the first-round leader, Brooke Henderson of Canada. Nelly Korda was in second, one shot back on four-under, and Buhai shared third with Charley Hull of England, Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh and Wei-ling Hsu of Taipei.
Paula Reto, who took her maiden LPGA Tour title last year, was on two-over after the first round, in a share of 24th.
