FT. MYERS. Fla. – Sweden’s grinded on a very windy Sunday at the Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial to capture her first professional victory.  The 23-year-old posted a 3-over 75 to win by one shot at 9-under 279. Sophia Popov (Heidelberg, Germany) finished second and Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong (Thailand) took third at 5-under 283.

Four-time LPGA Tour winner Lorie Kane won the Legends Tour event by three shots at 1-under 143. The 51-year-old Canadian had a 1-under 143 total and earned $19,500. Barb Mucha was second after a 73, and Jane Crafter was another stroke back after a 74.

The first place Symetra Tour check of $30,000 moves Sagstrom to first on the Volvik Race for the Card money list at $52,914 through just three events. Sagstrom becomes the fastest player in the history of the Symetra Tour to cross the $50,000 mark in single-season earnings. In 2015, Giulia Molinaro was the first player to reach $50,000 and she didn’t cross that mark until the Fuccillo Kia Championship, which was the 15th event of the year.

“It feels great, I feel so good at the moment and I had such a great time on the golf course today,” said Sagstrom, who was the 2015 SEC Player of the Year at LSU. “It was definitely tough, but we played pretty well and I had such a good time.”

On a day filled with heavy winds, Canada’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham carded a 4-under 68 on Sunday to finish T8. Bentham’s 68 was the only round in the 60’s.

“I went out there and played like I had nothing to lose,” said Bentham, who was plagued by injuries in 2015 and lost her LPGA Tour status. “I made a birdie on the first hole and from then on I hit everything close and gave myself chances. I never really had to grind for par.”

Bentham, a former Team Canada Young Pro member, finished T4 in last week’s Florida’s Natural Charity Classic, where she carded a 3-under 69 on the final day. She started her first round off with a 4-over 74 and then posted back-to-back 69’s.

This week, she carded a 6-over 76 in the first round and once again played her best on the weekend.

“It’s kind of my trend,” said Bentham. “I always start on a bad round and then work my way up on the leaderboard.”

Coming off last year, where Bentham held conditional status and battled injuries, the Toronto native is focused on making the top ten on the Volvik Race for the Card money list.

“Last year was tough,” said Bentham. “I’m focused on making the top ten this year.”

Her strong finish this week moved her to eighth on the money list.

Augusta James of Bath, Ont., finished 4th and was the top Canadian.

DULUTH, Ga. – Woody Austin’s Sunday putter came through again.

Austin tied the tournament record with an 8-under 64 and beat Wes Short Jr. with a par on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff in the PGA Tour Champions’ Mitsubishi Electric Classic.

The 52-year-old Austin has two victories in the last three events on the 50-and-over tour, also winning in Tucson, Arizona, last month. In each win he switched putters for the final round.

It’s an example of why he said “I’m not a normal person when it comes to golf.”

“I do everything quite different than most golfers,” Austin said. “I’m not a range guy. I don’t even go to the range an hour before my round.”

Austin also didn’t go to the range after his 64, instead sitting in the clubhouse for about an hour as Short and others finished. The televised coverage of the tournament kept showing Austin munching on popcorn.

Austin didn’t hear the commentators speculate about why he wasn’t warming up, because he wasn’t even watching the tournament.

“I went in the clubhouse because I wanted to watch the Cavaliers-Pistons game,” he said. “I’m a sports junkie. I was more happy watching that. That keeps my mind off what is going on.”

Austin won the 2013 Sanderson Farms Championship at age 49 for the last of his four PGA Tour titles. His win in Tucson last month was his first on the senior tour.

Austin said his Sunday putter – the same style but black instead of silver – has earned a try in the first round of his next tournament.

Short bogeyed the second playoff after pulling his tee shot left into tall grass for the second time.

“You can’t hit it left,” Short said. “I mean, I’m dead. I knew it as soon as I hit it both times. … I didn’t think I’d be tree-locked on the second time, though.”

Short finished with a 68. He could have avoided the playoff at TPC Sugarloaf, but missed a 6-foot birdie putt on No. 18, leaving him tied with Austin at 11 under. That missed putt may have been more painful than his errant drives on the playoff holes.

“It was very makeable,” he said. “I pushed it. As soon as I hit it, I knew. That kind of stings.”

Paul Goydos had a 67 to finish third at 10 under. Joey Sindelar (67), Tom Lehman (67), Miguel Angel Jimenez (68) and Colin Montgomerie (69) were another stroke back.

Bernhard Langer shot a 67 to tie for 11th at 6 under, ending his streak of five top-10 finishes on the tour this season. He had one win and two second-place finishes in the tournament’s first three years.

Tom Watson, the 66-year-old star who shared the first-round lead a week after playing in his final Masters, closed with a 68 to finish 4 under.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Jason Day is back at the top in a bid for his third PGA Tour title in a month.

Coming off a disappointing Masters, the top-ranked Day shot a 2-under 69 on Friday at the RBC Heritage to share the second-round lead with Kevin Chappell and Charley Hoffman.

Chappell and Hoffman shot 68s for the second straight day to match Day at 6-under 136..

Luke Donald, tied for the first-round lead after a 66, was a stroke back along with Russell Knox and Patton Kizzire. Donald had a 71. Knox shot a 65, the best round of the week. Kizzire had a 68.

Past tournament champion Matt Kuchar topped the group at 4 under after a 71.

Canada’s Graham DeLaet was tied for 11th at 3-under after a 70 on Friday. Fellow Canadians Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin had a share of 63rd at 2 over.

Day has won two of the past three times he’s entered, starting with a one-shot victory over Chappell a month ago in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Day followed that with a victory at the WCG-Dell Match Play and was a strong choice to slip on his first green jacket last week at Augusta National. Instead, Day tied for 10th and was never truly part of the drama in Jordan Spieth’s late collapse and Danny Willett’s triumph.

Now, Day is fighting off the fatigue and finding success again at Harbour Town Golf Links.

“I felt like I was kind of punch drunk a little bit,” he said of Thursday’s start. “But came out today a lot more alert and on top of it.”

That’s bad news for the rest of the field because Day has shown there aren’t many who can match him when he’s playing like this.

“I may be a little bit mentally fatigued, but it’s not an excuse,” he said. “I need to get out there and hit the shots and focus.”

Day hit the shots he needed at the most crucial times.

Starting on No. 10 a shot behind leaders Donald and Branden Grace, Day could not get going in the chilly, damp conditions. He kick-started the round with a birdie on the wind-swept, lighthouse 18th, rolling in a 10-footer.

Birdies on the second and third moved him on top. When he fell a stroke behind Chappell with a bogey on the par-5 fifth – Day hit his drive out of bounds – he recovered with a birdie on No. 6.

Day felt the weight of the past few weeks of winning golf on the fifth green as he lined up the 4-foot putt needed to limit the damage from his bad drive. That’s when he channeled the mindset he’s had since last summer when he won the PGA Championship.

“Moments like that where you get to a breaking point, where you go, ‘OK, I’m starting to lose focus now.’ Because I was playing great, but it went out of bounds. I can’t think about it. I’ve just got to keep pushing on.”

Chappell’s pushing on, too.

He has earned more than $1.4 million in 11 events this year, the bulk from two runner-up finishes. Chappell’s best showing in his nine other tournaments? A tie for 26th at the Northern Trust Open.

“My game didn’t go anywhere,” Chappell said. “I’m still on form and really excited to be here and really excited about where things are at.”

Hoffman, who held the 54-hole lead here in 2013, had a tying birdie on the difficult par-4 eighth hole, then scrambled for par from the pine straw when his drive on No. 9 landed near the merchandise tent.

“Once you get in the lead, you can’t let up, you’ve got to keep making birdies,” Hoffman said. “That’s what Tiger did so well during the early 2000s and that’s what I’m going to try and do on the weekend.”

DULUTH, Ga. – Tom Watson said farewell to the Masters last week and then went back to work on his swing.

The results have him in position to make PGA Tour Champions history.

Watson shot a 4-under 68 on Friday for a share of the first-round lead with Tom Byrum and Mark O’Meara in the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.

The 66-year-old Watson is trying to become the oldest winner on the 50-and-over tour. Mike Fetchick set the mark in the 1985 Hilton Head Seniors International on his 63rd birthday.

That fact surprised Watson, who said “Thanks for putting the pressure on me.”

Watson hasn’t won on the tour since 2011, and he wasn’t ready to talk about his possible shot at history.

“We’ll cross that bridge when it comes to it, if we come to it,” Watson said, adding he was confident after arriving early this week.

“I had a good idea on the practice round on Monday I was going to hit the ball pretty well. I made an adjustment to my swing and it carried on through today. I don’t know if that adjustment is going to work tomorrow. I hope it does.”

O’Meara said he is never surprised by low scores from Watson.

“I never underestimate Tom Watson,” O’Meara said. “Every time I play with him, he breaks his age. … He doesn’t cease to amaze me.”

Todd Hamilton, Jesper Parnevik and Kenny Perry were a stroke back at TPC Sugarloaf.

Canada’s Rod Spittle was tied for 16th after a 71, while compatriot Shephen Ames had a 73 and was 1-over.

Bernhard Langer had a 75, breaking his string of seven straight rounds in the 60s in the tournament. He has a victory and two second-place finishes in the tournament’s three years.

Olin Browne, who won last year’s tournament when rain washed out the final round, had a 74.

Battling windy conditions, Watson had five birdies and one bogey.

“I putted for 18 birdies today, so I hit the ball well,” Watson said. “That’s pretty good on this golf course. The wind was blowing and I was very happy about the way I hit the ball.”

Watson noted that the 58-year-old Langer was two shots off the Masters lead through three rounds last week.

“There’s longevity in the game if guys keep themselves in good shape,” Watson said.

“When we go play against the kids sometimes we still have a little bit left in the tank, although that course last week is way too uphill for me anymore.”

The story was different Friday when he was happy with his tee shots, including one that helped set up a 15-foot attempt for an eagle putt on the par-5 sixth. Watson settled for a birdie but was still proud of the drive.

“Pretty long for a 66-year-old,” he said, smiling.

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Minjee Lee made five birdies in a six-hole stretch and finished with a 6-under 66 on Thursday to take the second-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s Lotte Championship.

Playing in calmer afternoon conditions at wind-swept Ko Olina, the 19-year-old Australian birdied the final two holes on the front nine and added three in a row on Nos. 11-13. She parred the final five holes to finish at 10-under 134, two strokes ahead of American Katie Burnett.

“I holed a couple of nice putts and just got my momentum going on the front nine,” Lee said. “I birdied 8 and 9, so I think the momentum carried on through the back nine.”

She hit every green in regulation in her bogey-free round.

“I’ve been striking it pretty good yesterday and today as well,” said Lee, the Kingsmill Championship winner last year for her first LPGA Tour title.

With constant wind gusting to 30 mph Wednesday, there were only seven rounds in the 60s and the average score was 74.6. It calmed Thursday and eight players shot 67 or better.

The 26-year-old Burnett matched Lee with a 66. Also playing in the afternoon, she birdied four of the first six holes and made two more on the consecutive par-5 13th and 14th holes.

“I putted really well and we’ve been really decisive on like targets and I’ve hit a ton of knock-downs,” Burnett said. “Maybe hit a handful of actually full shots. Pretty much everything has been a knock-down just to keep the ball a little straighter in the wind.”

Canadian Brooke Henderson was 5 under after a 70 in the afternoon. The 18-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., has finished in the top 10 in six straight events. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was in a tie for 18th place.

“It was a lot calmer today, especially on my back nine, which was kind of nice, really,” Henderson said. “Walking down, I guess, No. 15 felt like there wasn’t wind at all, which was kind of crazy compared to the last 27 holes.”

B.C. native Samantha Richdale had a share of 48th, while Quebecors Anne-Catherine Tanguay and Maude-Aimee LeBlanc missed the cut.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko, going for her third straight victory, was 1 under after a morning 72.

Su-Yeon Jang was 7 under after a 66 in the morning when gusts were as high as 25 mph. The 21-year-old South Korean player, in the field on a sponsor exemption, is coming off a victory last week in a Korean LPGA event also sponsored by Lotte.

“I felt confident after winning the tournament last week,” said Jang, making her second LPGA Tour start and first in the United States. “So, that helped me a lot.”

Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn and defending champion Sei Young Kim were 6 under. Jutanugarn, tied for the first-round lead with Lee, had a 71. Kim had her second straight 69. The fifth-ranked South Korean player won last month in Phoenix for her fourth LPGA Tour title in two seasons.

Megan Khang made a big move up the leaderboard, following her opening 76 with a 64 – the best round of the week – to reach 4 under. The 18-year-old American birdied six of the last seven holes after some encouragement from her father-teacher-caddie Lee.

“Back-to-back bogeys on 9 and 10, and my dad was like, ‘C’mon, Megan. We got to turn it around here.’ ‘OK, OK, OK. Like, I know dad. I know.”’ Khang said. “So went on a pretty hot run, and thankfully had a good finish. I’m excited for the weekend, or Friday, Saturday.

Third-ranked Lexi Thompson and Lizette Salas also rallied, each following a 75 with a 66 to get to 3 under.

“Yesterday was just a struggle on the greens,” Thompson said. “I don’t really know what was going on.”

Salas shot a tournament-record 62 three years ago before losing a playoff to Suzann Pettersen.

“I just erased the round from yesterday,” Salas said. “We knew the problem was I wasn’t getting close, so I really wanted to be aggressive whenever I had a short iron.”

U.S. Women’s Open champion In Gee Chun also was 3 under, shooting a 67 after opening with a 74.

Second-ranked Inbee Park was 1 over after a 71.

Michelle Wie missed the cut in her home event, following her opening 80 with a 73. She won the 2014 tournament.

“Disappointing for sure,” Wie said. “I wanted to play well this week. Just coming out here and not having a good performance, just definitely is disappointing. Take the weekend to practice and get ready for the next event.”

Two other players from Punahou School played this week, but only former UCLA All-American Stephanie Kono made the cut – shooting a 71 to reach 1 under. Amateur Allisen Corpuz, a high school senior who qualified, was 5 over after a 72.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – South African Dawie Van der Walt didn’t like the fact that Canadian Mike Weir withdrew from the RBC Heritage after a first round 78 on Thursday. And, he didn’t mind complaining about it on Twitter.

Van der Walt, a 33-year-old PGA TOUR rookie who earned his card via the 2015 Web.com Tour Finals, has made seven cuts in 13 starts this season. His best finish is a tie for 17th at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.

Van der Walt shared this with his small Twitter following; later deleting it.

“Gota (sic) love a guy who gets an invite into a Tour event and then WD after the first round #hangitupmike”

He would backtrack with the following Twitter replies.

@BlairNealGolf @GrahamDeLaet @ahadwingolf @ntaylorgolf59 @HearnDavid I like him great player but he is hurt. I should not have said that

— Dawie van der walt (@Dawie1983) April 15, 2016

@Kooul @baldjoe @GrahamDeLaet I should not have said that its nothing against him it’s just when you hurt and WD and other could have played — Dawie van der walt (@Dawie1983) April 15, 2016

Weir, 45, didn’t immediately give a reason for the WD, but later clarified.

Feel bad about wd yesterday just recovering from bad flu bug that was going around our augusta house! Good luck to all team rbc players!

— Weirsy (@MikeWeir) April 15, 2016

He has not made a cut at an official PGA TOUR event since the 2014 CIMB Classic, where he tied for 21st. The Canadian Golf Hall of Famer received support from Graham DeLaet, Canada’s current top ranked PGA Tour player. The Weyburn, Sask., native commented.

@Dawie1983 classy tweet.

— Graham DeLaet (@GrahamDeLaet) April 15, 2016

UXBRIDGE, Ont. – Golf Ontario is being unveiled in conjunction with the launch of the association’s new five-year strategic plan. Following an extensive process, which began in 2014, the new Strategic Plan points to a reinvention of the current state of the association and a re-connection with golfers and industry partners focused on a clear vision, mission and set of values. Golf Ontario will ultimately break down the walls of bureaucracy and introduces a more welcome community for all golfers and the golf industry as a whole.

“Golf is a game for life enjoyed by tens of thousands of Ontarians. Golf Ontario will be the driving force to introduce more people to golf while enhancing the experience of those who have already discovered this great game,” stated Christian Osborne, Golf Ontario President. “In conjunction with Golf Canada, all partners and stakeholders, Golf Ontario will invest, support and grow golf through community based grassroots strategies. Golf can be for everyone regardless of age, race, ability or means. I am excited for the future and especially the leading role Golf Ontario will play.”

The Strategic Planning process involved reaching out to multiple stakeholder groups within the industry to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the association, and how the association could improve in the future. The analysis of both primary and secondary research resulted in a new vision, a new mission, new values and new strategic pillars that will provide Golf Ontario a road map for the next five years. It is Golf Ontario’s aspiration to become the best Provincial Sport Organization in Canada by 2020 by evolving the sport and establishing a structure to ensure golf’s success into the future.

“We strive to align with all golf stakeholders through a connected golf community which will drive more people to play more golf, more often and most importantly while starting at a younger age,” said Golf Ontario Executive Director Mike Kelly. “All strategic pillars point to Golf Ontario becoming refocused on leading and supporting our industry partners to the benefit of golfers across the province.”

The revised, refined and refocused vision and mission, along with the newly developed strategies and tactics, position the Golf Ontario brand in its leadership role for golf across Ontario.

Vision: Golf is and will always be the most popular sport in Ontario
Mission: To provide leadership and support for all Ontarians to enjoy golf as a lifelong sport

Strategies:

1. Transform our relationship with golfers in Ontario
2. Build communities of golf across Ontario
3. Provide leading high performance junior player development programs
4. Support the development of golf with a diversified revenue generation strategy
5. Transform the organization to deliver on the new plan and meet its mission

These strategies will be supported by a new governance structure which will see certain traditional operational committees evolve into Golf Advisory Teams (GAT). The GAT’s will be led by senior staff and made up of industry representatives and content experts in specific areas. These teams will ensure that all new or revised programs and initiatives align with the strategies and tactics within the new plan and include insight for Golf Ontario’s industry partners.

Along with the strategic plan and brand, comes a new visual identity for the association.

“The new Golf Ontario logo is clean and crisp. It maintains certain elements that establish professionalism that one would expect from a provincial sport organization, and it clearly brings together ‘golf’ and ‘Ontario’ so that all who come into contact with it know exactly what it represents,” stated Kyle McFarlane, Director of Marketing and Communications for Golf Ontario. “We feel it’s also very approachable and the removal of the words “Association of” will help remove any stigma that Golf Ontario is only for private clubs and their members. As part of our goal to create a more welcoming golf community we are making it easier for golfers to relate to our brand.”

The new visual identity will make its way into all Golf Ontario programs in 2016 including ‘Golf Barrie’ our first of many golf communities to be built across the province. Golf Ontario invites all golfers, industry partners and Ontarians to visit GAO.ca to learn more about the new Strategic Plan.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Missing the Masters made Luke Donald’s blood boil. The former world No. 1 channeled that anger to shoot his best round since January, a 5-under 66 at the RBC Heritage that left the Englishman tied with Branden Grace for the first-round lead Thursday.

The two were a stroke ahead of four players, including the world’s current top-ranked player in Jason Day.

Day caught Donald and Grace at the top heading to Harbour Town Golf Links’ closing, lighthouse hole. But he took an unplayable lie in a bunker when his ball bored into the sand and made his lone bogey to fall back.

Donald had been a major tournament mainstay since first playing Augusta National in 2005. However, he has fallen badly the past couple of seasons (he’s 95th in the world ranking) and was forced to watch the Masters at home instead of playing for a green jacket.

Donald shared his frustration on social media, posting on Instagram that not playing the major “quite frankly, it makes my blood boil.”

So Donald turned things around at one of his favorite layouts in Harbour Town Golf Links, posting his best score in three months since consecutive 65s at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

“I feel like I’ve got a few good years ahead of me,” the 38-year-old Donald said. “I don’t want to be sitting at home watching the majors on TV yet.”

He won’t be if he keeps playing like this. Donald got going quickly with birdies on the second and third holes. He moved to 3 under with a birdie on No. 6. After his lone bogey on the par-4 eighth, Donald posted three more birdies on the back nine to break par for the 23rd time in his past 29 rounds at Harbour Town. He has had five top-three finishes the last seven tournaments here.

About the only thing he has not done at Harbour Town is win. A victory this week would put Donald back on the major track.

“I have some good memories and good mojo here,” he said. “It’s nice to continue that with a solid round today.”

Most of the Masters’ main characters took the week off, including new dad and major champion Danny Willett of England and Jordan Speith, whose unexpected collapse over the final nine holes after holding a five-shot lead opened the door for Willett.

Day, who tied for 10th at Augusta National, is the lone top-10 player competing.

Day tied for the lead with a birdie on the par-5 15th and had a chance to move on top by himself a hole later, but slid a 14-footer past the cup. The Australians’ tee shot to the final hole was perfect and his approach seemed destined to strike the putting surface – until it didn’t.

His ball buried into the sand by the bunker’s front edge. Day looked a bit bewildered by the gaffe, then retrieved the ball and hit it close enough to hold off more damage.

Day acknowledged his energy level after last week’s major was low. “But you just have to suck it up and get through the week,” he said.

Grace held the lead at 6 under after his birdie on the 15th. However, the South African missed an 8-foot par putt on the following hole to drop back into a tie.

Grace said he came to Harbour Town after playing last week in part because of last year when his tie for seventh jump-started his run to full-time membership on the PGA Tour.

Defending RBC Heritage champ Jim Furyk is out this week as he rehabs from wrist surgery.

Jason Bohn, the 42-year-old two-time PGA Tour winner, returned to the game after his heart attack nearly two months ago at the Honda Classic with a 3-over 74. He was regularly greeted by well-wishers along the rope and played with a tiny, red heart on his golf ball, a reminder, he said, of what’s most important.

While frustrated with his play, Bohn believed he achieved what he wanted – a return to normalcy after a frightening health scare.

“The golf wasn’t so joyous. If I could’ve gone out and shot a couple under par, it would’ve been a lot better,” he said. “But this was a big round for me psychologically, just to know I could get back to competition. I could work my body as hard as I want to compete.”

Graham DeLaet was the lead Canadian after a 2-under 69. Adam Hadwin was even (71), David Hearn had a 72 and Nick Taylor had a 73.

Bryson DeChambeau, last year’s NCAA and U.S. Amateur champion, played his first event as a pro at Harbour Town and opened with a 70.

ACTON, Ont. – Situated on the highest point in the Niagara region overlooking Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, the Niagara River and the city of Niagara Falls, Lookout Point Country Club is an impressive venue unto itself.

The 1922 Walter Travis designed gem is home to World Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Streit, as well as Canadian golfing greats Cathy Sherk, Bill Kozak and Rod Spittle.

Later this year, Lookout Point Country Club will also play host to the inaugural Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada national final.

Taking place Sept. 29-Oct. 1, the national final features 25 teams—comprised of four amateurs and a PGA of Canada professional—playing in a 36-hole Ambrose Scramble format.

“We’re very excited and proud to be taking the inaugural Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada national final to such a wonderful venue in Lookout Point Country Club,” said PGA of Canada president Constant Priondolo.

The Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada is a new national series of events taking place at more than 200 golf facilities around the country beginning this June.

The series of events expects to draw nearly 20,000 amateur golfers—who will form their own team of four players— from across the country. Teams will look to make it through local and regional qualifying with the ultimate goal of playing in the national final this fall at Lookout Point Country Club with a PGA of Canada professional playing on their team.

Each participant must have a valid Golf Canada Handicap Factor in order to participate. 

Every golfer who plays in a Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada local event will receive gifting and prizing from supporting partners.

In addition to the 36-hole championship, Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada national final promises to be a golf trip of a lifetime, which includes a festival of special events, prizing, activations and a chance to interact with the latest Hyundai vehicles.

For more information about the Hyundai PGA Scramble of Canada and how to register to participate, check out the championship’s website here.

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Australia’s Minjee Lee birdied her final hole Wednesday for a 4-under 68 and a share of the first-round lead with Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn at the LPGA Tour’s Lotte Championship.

In wind gusting to 30 mph at Ko Olina Golf Club, only nine players broke par in the morning wave, while 11 shot in the 80s. That included 2014 Lotte winner Michelle Wie with an 80 in her home event.

“It was just trying to hit it and go find it today,” said Jutanugarn, the 2013 rookie of the year, “because it’s really windy.”

Canada’s Brooke Henderson, the 18-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., who has finished in the top 10 in six straight events, was a stroke back along with defending champion Sei Young Kim, Kim Kaufman, fellow Canadian Alena Sharp from Hamilton and Caroline Masson.

It is Henderson’s first start at Ko Olina. She failed to qualify last year, when Kim holed out from the fairway for an eagle to beat Inbee Park in a playoff.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko is coming off consecutive victories in the Kia Classic and ANA Inspiration – the year’s first major. She had a double bogey on the second hole Wednesday, but rallied to shoot 71.

Jutanugarn’s younger sister, Ariya, led the ANA Inspiration by two with three holes remaining, only to finish fourth. Moriya, who has never finished higher than fourth on the LPGA Tour, managed seven birdies in the breeze at Ko Olina.

“I think the wind made me have more patience,” she said, “because sometimes you hit the bad shot and it’s like, ‘It’s OK. It’s windy today.’ You kind of accept it.”

The 19-year-old Lee is one 14 players ranked in the top 20 at the Lotte. The 2012 U.S. Junior Girls champion finished 13th here last year as a rookie, when she won once and had six other top 10s.

She also had seven birdies in the opening round, to go with a bogey and double bogey. Lee admitted luck had a little to do with her score in the gusts.

“You got to have some luck with it, too,” she said. “It’s not just all your skill. You never know. Mother Nature can throw anything at you. I think I judged it really well today so I’m happy.”

Canadian Rd. 1 scores: