HAINAN, China – Minjee Lee got up-and-down one last time at Jian Lake on Sunday to win the Blue Bay LPGA for her second victory of the year and third in 17 months.

The 20-year-old Australian chipped to 3 feet from the front runoff area on the par-5 18th to match Jessica Korda’s birdie and beat the American by a stroke. Lee’s chip left Korda with an 18-footer for eagle from off the back edge that she missed to the left.

“It was a good fight out there, and I fought to the end,” Lee said.

Ariya Jutanugarn tied Lee with a two-stroke swing on the par-3 17th, then hooked her 3-wood drive into the water on 18 to end her chances for a tour-high sixth victory.

“I knew that I had a good opportunity, but I wasn’t getting ahead of myself,” Lee said. “I knew Jess was going to make birdie – was probably going to make birdie – and so I thought to myself, ‘I need to make birdie here.’ I just put myself in good spots and then I ended up making birdie. Just stuck to my game plan.”

Lee rebounded after losing a six-stroke lead Saturday, closing with a 2-under 70 in hot and humid conditions to finish at 13-under 275. Korda had a 71. Jutanugarn shot 70, her closing bogey leaving her two strokes back.

Five days after Typhoon Sarika blew through the South China Sea beach resort, the wind jumped up on the final holes, making it more difficult to hit the valleys and plateaus on the large greens.

“It played like a totally different golf course,” Korda said. “It wasn’t the same as every day. The golf course conditions were a lot harder today. Some greens were slow and there were some greens that were fast. All in all, it was a tough day out there.”

Lee chipped in for birdie on the par-4 first to break a tie with Korda, chipped to 2 feet for birdie on the par-5 eighth and had eight straight pars before stumbling on the 154-yard 17th. She ran her 30-foot first putt 6 feet past, watched Jutanugarn make a 15-footer for birdie, then missed the comebacker to give up sole possession of the lead for the first time since the start of the round.

Lee earned $315,000 and is projected to jump from 17th to 16th in the world ranking. She won last year at Kingsmill and in April in Hawaii.

The Australian tied for 37th last week in South Korea and was one of the many players who didn’t get to Hainan until Wednesday afternoon, leaving little time to prepare.

“I really came into this week with no expectations,” Lee said. “Just wanted to have fun.”

She did, and her mother and grandmother were there to celebrate with her.

“My Nan, she my biggest supporter,” Lee said. “I love having her around. She normally comes around for the Asia Swing, so yeah, it’s nice to have won in front of her. She was here, so that’s really nice.”

Korda bogeyed the par-3 seventh, firing her tee shot over the green a day after hitting to 6 inches. The defending champion next week in Malaysia, the 23-year-old American birdied the par-3 11th and par-5 14th. She three-putted the par-4 16th for a bogey, charging a 25-footer 15 feet long.

“I think considering we had zero preparation for the tournament and came in on Wednesday, I think I would have taken a second place if you would have told me that that’s what I would have gotten,” Korda said. “We didn’t get a lot of preparation. But with the typhoon, there’s nothing you can do.”

Ten shots behind Lee after two rounds, Jutanugarn made $139,681 to take the money lead from Lydia Ko with $2,439,878. The 20-year-old Thai star also moved atop the Race to CME Globe and extended her lead over Ko to 13 points for player of the year. Ko and Jutanugarn are playing next week in Kuala Lumpur.

Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum (72) and Germany’s Caroline Masson (73) tied for a distant fourth at 6 under. England’s Charley Hull (69) was 5 under, and Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg (72) 4 under.

Brooke Henderson (71) was 3 under. The 19-year-old Canadian has played all four weeks in Asia and plans to make it six in a row with stops in Malaysia and Japan.

Michelle Wie was one of the 13 players to break par, closing with a 74 to tie for 10th at 1 under. She had her best finish of the year, topping a tie for 25th in February in the second event of the season.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Justin Thomas completed a fairytale return to the CIMB Classic with a successful title defence after eight birdies in the final round Sunday earned him a three-shot victory over closest rival Hideki Matsuyama.

The American did not match his record tournament score of 26-under 262 in 2015, but still finished with an impressive 23 under for only his second PGA Tour title.

“It’s great to win again here. It’s a place I’m comfortable with … Hopefully I will be able to come back next year,” said Thomas, who shot a 64 to match his first-day score.

Overnight leader Anirban Lahiri, who led the field by four shots into the final round, lost ground after a quadruple bogey on the third hole, after his tee shot went into a tree.

The Indian recovered admirably with a birdie and eagle in the next two holes, but the early setback meant he only settled in joint third with Derek Fathauer (67).

“I got unlucky with the tee shot and just compounded my errors. My short game again, coming up a little bit to bite me,” said Lahiri, the 2015 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner.

Marc Leishman (66) finished one shot away from Lahiri in fifth, with Keegan Bradley (68) one spot below him on 16 under.

HAINAN, China – Jessica Korda caught Minjee Lee on Saturday in the Blue Bay LPGA. Ariya Jutanugarn made up even more ground to move into contention for her sixth victory of the season.

Korda shot a 6-under 66 at Jian Lake to make up seven strokes on Lee for a share of the lead, and Jutanugarn had a 65 to cut her deficit from eight to two shots and get in the final group Sunday.

In hot and mostly calm conditions four days after Typhoon Sarika hit the South China Sea beach resort, Korda had five birdies in a six-hole stretch and got up-and-down for another on the par-5 18th.

“I missed a lot of birdie opportunities at the beginning and I was just saying in my head, ‘Stay patient.’ and, ‘Stay positive,”’ the 23-year-old American said. “Yesterday, I was 4 over through seven and then battled back to shoot even par. I was really proud of myself to keep myself in it. I just knew that I can make birdies out here.”

Lee had a 73, also getting up-and-down for birdie on 18 to match Korda at 11-under 205. The 20-year-old Australian began the day six strokes ahead of Germany’s Caroline Masson after shooting 65-67 the first two rounds.

“It wasn’t that windy today, so I guess you could be a bit more aggressive at the pins,” Lee said. “I wasn’t striking it that well, so I think I just got by making up-and-down.”

The second-ranked Jutanugarn had the best round of the day on the course with difficult to hit valleys and plateaus on the large greens.

“This course, you have to be really patient,” Jutanugarn said. “I just be like waiting for birdies, not really rushing trying to make birdies. Just trying to have fun.”

The 20-year-old Thai star leads the tour in victories and tops the player of the year points race.

Korda hit an 8-iron to 6 inches on the 141-yard seventh to start the birdie spree.

“I actually thought it was going to go in,” said Korda, set to defend the last of her four LPGA Tour titles next week in Malaysia.

The 5-foot-11 Floridian made a 20-footer from the fringe on the par-5 eighth, hit to 3 feet on the par-4 ninth, 5 feet on the par-3 11th and made a 25-footer on the difficult par-4 12th after holding the green with a mid-iron.

“You have to land it perfectly at the top to have any shot at that pin staying on the back of the green,” Korda said. “It’s really wet back there so you don’t want to have to chip up. It’s not an easy chip. I was just really happy to be on the green to be honest with you and have some type of putt at it.”

She has played 20 holes without a bogey. She made a key 6-foot par save on the par-4 sixth.

“Making par on six was important,” Korda said. “It’s a really tough pin today. It’s almost impossible to get close to.”

Lee got on the wrong side of the ridges on 11 and 12, three-putting for bogeys – after Korda birdied both in the group ahead – to drop into a tie.

“I think the girls did pretty well considering where the pins were today,” said Lee, the winner last year at Kingsmill and in April in Hawaii.

Masson (71) was 7 under, and Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum (69) was 6 under.

Michelle Wie (71) was tied for seventh at 3 under. She has only one top-25 finish this year, a tie for 25th in February in the second event of the season, and needed a sponsor exemption to get in the event.

Brooke Henderson (70) was another stroke back. The 19-year-old Canadian birdied three of last five holes. She’s playing for the fourth straight week in Asia and plans to make it six in a row.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda (75) also was 2 under. She won her first LPGA Tour title last week in South Korea.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Defending champion Justin Thomas endured a terrible start to the third round of the CIMB Classic after the American faltered with three bogeys and a double bogey to finish with a 1-under 71 Saturday.

Thomas was swiftly overtaken by Anirban Lahiri, who shone at the TPC Kuala Lumpur with nine birdies for a 65 to open up a four-shot lead going into the final round on Sunday.

Thomas had two bogeys and a double bogey in the first three holes of the back nine.

“Yeah, it was really just terrible golf for the first 13 holes. To be 4-over par out here, it was a very weird feeling. I don’t know,” he said.

At least the 23-year-old Thomas ended the penultimate round with five consecutive birdies.

“It was great to have that finish,” Thomas said. “I feel like that showed a lot of me and I hope that I can ride the momentum into tomorrow.”

Lahiri’s low score positioned him at 19 under, a mark which could have been better if not for a double bogey on the 12th hole in an otherwise flawless scorecard.

“I just told myself that I got rid of my double-bogey early in the round today and just tried to focus on what I needed to do,” said Lahiri, who was runner-up at the Asian Tour’s Macau Open last week.

“You know, like I said, I feel like I’m hitting it good with my irons, my wedges and I’m putting it good.”

Scotland’s Russell Knox played another solid round for a 68, to move tied for second with Thomas.

Trailing a shot behind them are Derek Fathauer, James Hahn and Hideki Matsuyama, who are tied at 14-under.

Ryan Moore, the 2013 and 2014 winner, finished tied on 17th after managing a 70.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the athletes who have been chosen to represent Team Canada as part of the 2017 National Amateur Squad and Development Squad programs.

In all, eight athletes comprise Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad including four players on the men’s team and four on the women’s.

The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2017 Amateur Squad:

WOMEN’S NATIONAL AMATEUR SQUAD

Maddie Szeryk, Allen, Tex., Ontario Public Player (20)
Naomi Ko, Victoria, B.C., Royal Colwood Golf Club (19)
Jaclyn Lee, Calgary, Alta., Glencoe Golf & Country Club (19)
Grace St-Germain, Ottawa, Ont., Camelot Golf Club (18)

MEN’S NATIONAL AMATEUR SQUAD

Jared du Toit, Kimberley, B.C., Glencoe Golf & Country Club (21)
Hugo Bernard, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., Laval sur-le-Lac Club (21)
Austin James, Bath, Ont., Loyalist Golf & Country Club (21)
Stuart Macdonald, Vancouver, B.C., Point Grey Golf & Country Club (21)

Complete National Amateur Squad bios can be found here.

—

The National Development Squad—primarily a U19 program—will also feature eight players (four men and four women). The Development Squad is designed to help facilitate the continued development of Canada’s top young talents.

The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2017 Development Squad:

WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT SQUAD

Mary Parsons, Delta, B.C., Mayfair Lakes Golf Club (17)
Monet Chun, Richmond Hill, Ont., Summit Golf & Country Club (15)
Chloe Currie, Mississauga, Ont., Mississaugua Golf & Country Club (16)
Hannah Lee, Surrey, B.C., Northview Golf & Country Club (16)

MEN’S DEVELOPMENT SQUAD

A.J. Ewart, Coquitlam, B.C., Pitt Meadows Golf Club (17)
Peyton Callens, Langton, Ont., Delhi Golf & Country Club (16)
Chandler McDowell, Springbrook, Alta., Red Deer Golf & Country Club (16)
Max Sekulic, Rycroft, Alta., Grande Prairie Golf & Country Club (17)

Complete Development Squad player bios can be found here.

—

“Based on their outstanding performances this year, we are very excited to announce the young men and women chosen to represent Canada as part of the National Program,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer. “It is the goal of our program to support and assist the players in their development. We accomplish that by bringing this group of elite-level players together and surrounding them with world class coaching, sport science expertise and exposure to training and competitive schedules that will serve as a benchmarks for their development from a global perspective.”

Golf Canada is also pleased to announce the 2017 Team Canada coaching staff with Derek Ingram returning as Men’s Squad Head Coach, supported by Robert Ratcliffe who will also head up the Development Squad. On the women’s side, Tristan Mullally returns as Women’s Squad Head Coach and will receive support from Ann Carroll, who will oversee the Women’s Development Squad specifically. All coaches are all class “A” professionals with the PGA of Canada.

The athletes named to the 2017 National Amateur and Development Squads are a product of a circle of support that includes personal coaches, parents and high performance activities conducted by the respective provincial golf associations.

The 2017 Young Pro Squad team selection is expected mid-November.

—

Jared du Toit makes his return to the Amateur Squad after his captivating performance at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open, where he played in Sunday’s final group and would finish in a tie for ninth to win the Gary Cowan Award (low amateur). Growing up in Kimberley, B.C., and now based in Calgary, du Toit’s impressive 2016 campaign also featured Top-5 finishes at the Monroe Invitational and Porter Cup, as well as a T15 result at the Canadian Men’s Amateur. The 21-year-old was also a part of the three-man team that lifted Canada into a share of ninth at the 2016 World Amateur Team Championships. On the strength of five Top-10 NCAA finishes in his junior season, du Toit earned the nod as team captain for his final season with the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Also making his return to the Amateur Squad is Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., native Hugo Bernard. The 21-year-old’s season was highlighted by a victory at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, an event in which he finished runner-up the year prior. Bernard made a lasting impression in his rookie campaign with the Saint Leo Lions, posting six Top-5 finishes in eight events, including medalist honours at the NCAA Div II Championship. His efforts at Saint Leo earned him Freshman of the Year honours to go with being named as a first-team all-American. Bernard was also one of three to compete for Canada at the World Amateur alongside teammate du Toit. He boasts victories earlier in his amateur career at the Quebec Men’s Amateur in 2013 as well as the 2012 Quebec Junior Boys Championship.

The third returnee to the men’s squad is Vancouver native Stuart Macdonald. The 21-year-old recently graduated from the University of Purdue, where he amassed seven Top-10 finishes over his collegiate career with the Boilermakers. His 2016 campaign was underlined by a third place finish at the Canadian Men’s Amateur alongside a T35 result at the Jones Cup. Macdonald took home runner-up honours at the 2015 B.C. Men’s Amateur.

The lone rookie on this year’s men’s squad is Bath, Ont., product Austin James. James has been on the cusp of making the national team before breaking through this year on the heels of an exemplary junior season at Charleston Southern that saw him earn Big South Player of the Year honours in addition to capturing medallist honours at the Big South Championship. James was a quarter-finalist in the 2015 U.S. Men’s Amateur and also holds the 2014 Canadian Junior Boys title. The 21-year-old has strong family ties to golf, with sister Augusta being a staple with the women’s program—most recently as a member of the Young Pro Squad—and father Geoff acting as the Head PGA of Canada Professional at Loyalist Golf & Country Club (the family’s home course).

On the women’s side, the Amateur Squad is headlined by three-time returning member and dual-citizen Maddie Szeryk, who’s 2016 season included a victory at the Florida State Match-Up to go along with a T14 finish at the Canadian Women’s Amateur. In two seasons with Texas A&M, Szeryk has collected 12 Top-10 finishes in addition to being twice named to the First-Team All-SEC as well as SEC Freshman of the Year in 2014. The 20-year-old helped Canada finish ninth at the 2016 World Amateur as one of three Canadians to tee-it-up in chase of the Espirito Santo Trophy. The Allen, Tex., resident notched victories at the Ontario Women’s Amateur in 2015 and the Canadian Junior Girls Championship in 2013.

Victoria, B.C., native Naomi Ko solidified her return to the Amateur Squad after an impressive 2016 campaign that featured wins at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship and PNGA Women’s Amateur, plus Top-10 performances at the Canadian Women’s Amateur, Porter Cup and World Amateur Team Championship. Her freshman season with N.C. State was highlighted by a T5 finish at the ACC Championship. Ko, 19, won the B.C. Junior Girls Championship title in 2014. Entering her second year with the Amateur Squad, 2017 marks Ko’s fifth year with the Team Canada program—she was on the Development Squad from 2013-2015.

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee also returns for a second year on the Amateur Squad. Lee’s summer was highlighted by winning the Marlene Streit Award (low amateur) at the CP Women’s Open in addition to winning the Alberta Ladies Amateur title for a second time. The 19-year-old recorded a T3 finish at the Porter Cup while also making the quarter-finals at both the PNGA Women’s Amateur and North & South Women’s Amateur. The former CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event winner grabbed a share of 27^th at the Canadian Women’s Amateur. Lee added two Top-10 collegiate finishes in her freshman year at Ohio State.

Rounding out the women’s team is 18-year-old Grace St-Germain. The Ottawa product makes the jump to the Amateur Squad after spending two seasons with the Development Squad and one with Team Ontario. St-Germain took home the hardware at the Ontario Women’s Amateur in 2016, while adding a runner-up finish at the Quebec Women’s Amateur for the second straight year—an event which she won in 2014. She closed her season with a T20 finish at the Canadian Women’s Amateur and a share of ninth at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship—also a title she held in 2014. St-Germain joined the Daytona State Falcons—an NJCAA school—as a freshman in September.

HAINAN, China – Minjee Lee patiently navigated Jian Lake’s undulating greens again Friday to stretch her lead to six strokes in the Blue Bay LPGA.

Already a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, the 20-year-old Australian followed her opening 7-under 65 with a bogey-free 67 in windier afternoon conditions off Hainan Clear Water Bay.

“I had a pretty solid round,” Lee said.”I had 3 under the first nine, so I was happy with my start. In the middle, I had a couple loose shots here and there, but I could get up-and-down. Then I finished off with two birdies. Overall, pretty solid round.”

Three days after Typhoon Sarika roared through the South China Sea beach resort, the wind finally kicked up as Lee played the back nine. The wind makes it more difficult to hit targets in valleys and on plateaus on the large, tiered greens.

“I don’t think it’s easy out there,” Lee said. “It’s still windy and the greens are really undulated, so you have to be in the right places. It’s not easy.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., fired a 3-over 75 and was at even par for the tournament. The 19-year-old is playing for the fourth straight week in Asia and plans to make it six in a row with stops in Malaysia and Japan.

Alena Sharp of Hamilton was even par in her round to sit tied for 24th at 1-over par. Marie-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., carded a round of 2-over and was plus-14.

Germany’s Caroline Masson was second at 6 under after her second straight 69. She birdied four of the last five holes – the lone par coming on a 3-foot birdie miss on the par-4 15th.

“You’ve just got to be smart and you’ve got to be accepting out there,” Masson said. “Some holes play very tough with certain wind and certain pin positions. So sometimes you have to hit a perfect shot in the perfect spot and get lucky, as well, to get it on the right side of the green or keep it on the green or get it close.”

“A lot of times, you hit a decent shot and you end up missing the green, so it’s important to stay patient and trust in the short game, and I think that’s what I did today. I made some really good up-and-downs out there, and kind of made the birdies when I had the chances on the last few holes.”

She won the Manulife LPGA Classic in Canada in September for her first LPGA Tour victory.

“Today it was important to stay patient out there, be confident and kind of be relaxed and not try to force things too much,” Masson said. “I think I’ve gotten a little more relaxed on the golf course after my win, so that’s definitely a good thing.”

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and American Jessica Korda were 5 under.

Ciganda had a 71. She had an emotional first LPGA Tour victory Sunday in a playoff in South Korea.

Korda followed her opening 67 with a 72. She had five birdies, a double bogey and three bogeys.

Lee birdied three of the four par 3s, the last with an 18-footer from the fringe on the 116-yard 17th. She also birdied the par-3 fourth and seventh, and followed with a downhill 30-footer on the par-5 eighth. She ended a par streak with a downhill 12-footer for birdie on the par-4 16th.

After the birdie on 17, she missed a chance on the par-5 18th when her low wedge approach skipped up a ridge and left her a downhill 20-footer that missed on the right edge.

The 2012 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion won last year at Kingsmill and in April in Hawaii.

“I’ll just try to play my own game,” Lee said. “I don’t really want to go in with too high of expectations because I don’t know what the conditions are going to be like. It could get windy. … ”

“I’m not going to be any more or less aggressive or more or less conservative. It just depends on where you are on the fairway and where the pin is. I’ll take it from there.”

China’s Xi Yu Lin (68), South Korea’s Chella Choi (72) and Germany’s Sandra Gal (73) were 4 under.

“Yesterday, the rhythm was kind of slow. Today, the rhythm was right there, pretty smooth,” Lin said. “Also my mood is pretty good, as well, as far as the putting.”

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn, the tour leader with five victories, was 2 under after a 71. Michelle Wie and Charley Hull each shot 70 to also reach 2 under. Wie got into the field on a sponsor exemption.

Defending champion Sei Young Kim was 1 under after a 72. The South Korean player won last year in wind and rain without shooting a round in the 60s.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Justin Thomas had a 6-under 66 on Friday to take a two-stroke lead halfway through the CIMB Classic, staying within striking distance of the tournament record he set in winning the title here last year.

He started the second round in a three-way share of the lead with Keegan Bradley and Derek Fathauer after opening with a 64, and followed up with a bogey-free round containing six birdies to move to 14 under, two shots clear of Asian leader Anirban Lahiri.

Thomas, who won his first PGA TOUR title here last year in a tournament record 26 under, wasn’t entirely happy with his iron shots and wedges in the second round but remains hopeful of producing some very low scores on the weekend at the TPC Kuala Lumpur.

“The thing about this course, you can go shoot 12- or 13-under in a day,” he said, “so hopefully I can get it going a little bit this weekend … like I did last year.”

Lahiri had eight birdies but finished with a 66 after a double-bogy on his final hole Friday, leaving him at 12 under.

“Both yesterday and today I’ve played good – I think I played solid right through,” Lahiri said. “It’s just very disappointing to finish the way I did. Both days I think I left four or five shots out there coming in. I would have liked to be in a better position the way I’ve played, but it’s not over yet.”

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., fired a 3-under 69 to sit tied for 34th at 4-under par. David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., was next-to-last in the 78-player field at 8-over par after shooting a round of 1-over 73.

Russell Knox, James Hahn and Hideki Matsuyama were in a tie for third at 11 under.

Ryan Moore, who won the CIMB Classic in 2013 and 2014k, moved into a share of eighth at 8 under with a 65 in the second round, making up for an opening 71.

Fathauer had a 70 and was in a share of sixth place, and Bradley had a 71 in the second round to slip into a tie for eighth.

There is no cut for the tournament, so the whole field of 78 will play on the weekend.

HAINAN, China (AP) — Minjee Lee birdied the final three holes for a 7-under 65 and a two-stroke lead Thursday in the Blue Bay LPGA, playing in perfect conditions two days after Typhoon Sarika hit the resort.

Lee hit a long flop shot to a foot from a difficult angle on the par-5 18th on Jian Lake’s Blue Bay course, back in top shape after a large cleanup effort. The 20-year-old Australian was delayed traveling from the event that ended Sunday in South Korea and finally got to the resort Wednesday, limiting her to nine holes of practice.

“Maybe it’s better,” Lee said. “I think it was pretty similar for a lot of the girls. I just took it as it is. It’s OK. … We have an amazing view from our hotel room and the course is in great condition. I think we’re really lucky to be here.”

American Jessica Korda and Germany’s Sandra Gal shot 67 on the long course with large rolling, tiered greens with small effective landing areas.

“It’s in great shape and we had no wind,” Gal said. “There’s lot of tiers and little pockets on the greens, so you really got to know where to pitch it and you got to be sharp with your wedges and distances.”

Lee hit to 6 inches to set up a birdie on the par-5 14th. She has two LPGA Tour victories, winning last year in Kingsmill and in April in Hawaii.

“I just took it one shot at a time and didn’t get ahead of myself,” Lee said. “Just played my own game today and a lot of my putts dropped.”

Gal holed out from 89 yards for eagle on the par-4 second hole. She settled for par on 18 when her chip from light rough just off the green, hit the downslope, ticked the flagstick and ended up 12 feet away.

“I think we’re very lucky that the course is in such great shape and that we all got here safe and the typhoon didn’t do too much damage,” Gal said. “It’s all good.”

Korda birdied three of the final four holes.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, coming off a playoff victory last week in Incheon for her first LPGA Tour title, was three strokes back at 68 along with South Korea’s Chella Choi.

Ciganda didn’t practice after arriving late.

“I thought it was better to rest,” Ciganda said. “I knew the course and my caddie just went and walked the course. Just hit some chips and putts to try to get the speed of the greens. No practice. Just go and play. I like it. Keep it simple.”

Canada’s Brooke Henderson birdied four of the last five to join Germany’s Caroline Masson and American Austin Ernst at 69. The 19-year-old Henderson is playing for the fourth straight week in Asia and plans to make it six in a row with stops in Malaysia and Japan.

South Korea’s Sei Young Kim, the winner last year in the wind without shooting a round in the 60s, opened with a 71. Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn also shot 71. The Thai star leads the tour with five victories.

Michelle Wie had a 72, playing alongside Gal and Na Yeon Choi. The slumping American got into the field on a sponsor exemption.

“Just going to play out the rest of the season and then I’m going to go back home to Hawaii, take some time off and try to regroup for next year,” Wie said.

Na Yeon Choi had two double bogeys in an 82. The South Korean player threw her ball in the water on 18 after missing a 12-foot eagle putt and tapping in for her lone birdie.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Justin Thomas began his title defense with an 8-under 64 at the CIMB Classic on Thursday, making nine birdies and a bogey to move into a three-way tie with Keegan Bradley and Derek Fathauer for the first-round lead.

Thomas, who won his first PGA Tour title here last year in a tournament-record total 26-under-par 262, said he felt at ease in the opening round of the PGA Tour-sanctioned event.

“If there’s such a thing as an easy 8-under, it was,” Thomas said. “I wedged it great. I took advantage of the first three par 5s.

“I was just very comfortable and hit it in there close a couple of times and made a couple putts, but it was a pretty low-stress day.”

Bradley had six birdies on the front nine and an eagle at the par-5 10th but then had two bogeys on his next three holes before recovering with birdies at the 16th and 17th.

England’s Paul Casey was one stroke behind the leaders at 7 under, one clear of Asian Tour leader Anirban Lahiri and two ahead of a group of four at 5 under, including Sergio Garcia and Aaron Baddeley.

Ryan Moore, who won the CIMB Classic in 2013 and 2014, opened with a 71 in his first tournament since he delivered the winning Ryder Cup point for the Americans.

He was one of 13 players tied for 44th at 1 under, including Ian Poulter, who was making his first PGA Tour-sanctioned start since a foot injury in May caused him to take off the rest of the season. Poulter tied for 28th last week at the Macau Open, his first tournament back.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (AP) — Ian Woosnam, Davis Love III, Meg Mallon and Lorena Ochoa have been selected for the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Also selected Tuesday for induction was Henry Longhurst, a London Sunday Times columnist who later became a golf commentator for the BBC.

The induction will be Sept. 26 in New York.

The five inductees were chosen by a 16-member “selection commission” led by Jack Nicklaus, Nancy Lopez, Gary Player and Annika Sorenstam, along with nine golf administrators and three journalists.

Woosnam is a former world No. 1 who won the Masters in 1991. Love is a former PGA champion with 20 career PGA Tour victories. Mallon won 18 times on the LPGA Tour, including four majors. Ochoa won 27 times and two majors when she retired at No. 1 in the world.