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MAINEVILLE, Ohio (AP) – Nelly Korda had a hard time getting out of bed Thursday morning. Solheim Cup fatigue had no effect on the caliber of her golf, a bogey-free 67 at the Kroger Queens City Championship that left her two shots behind Ashleigh Buhai.
Korda and Leona Maguire, who also had a 5-under 67, are among 11 players who competed in last week’s Solheim Cup and came back to work at the TPC River’s Bend. Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., also had a 67 on the day to tie for fourth.
Buhai, the former British Women’s Open champion from South Africa, is not involved in the Solheim Cup and had a few weeks to rest from an injury-plagued season. She ran off eight birdies for her 7-under 65, giving her a one-shot lead over Jeeno Thitikul and Yan Liu.
“Shows that rest is just as important,” Buhai said. “I know if I give myself five days to warm up, with my coach coming in, we did a good job, and, yeah, it was nice to see it pay off today.”
At least Korda got the afternoon for nap time after her early start. She went 3-1 in her matches last week in the Solheim Cup as the Americans defeated Europe for the first time in seven years.
“I’m looking forward to the feeling of staying in bed all day today. It was definitely kind of hard to wake up this morning, but I love competing and I love being out here,” Korda said. “Everyone who played last week is going to be tired. I’m trying to take it one step at a time, know my energy levels aren’t the greatest, but I’m still motivated.”
She found extra motivation not so much from her five birdies but keeping a clean sheet.
“There is no greater feeling than minimizing your mistakes, or making no mistakes,” Korda said. “Whenever you get to play a bogey-free round, I feel like it motivates you, and hopefully I can take that energy into the next three days.”
Maguire played just two games last week, having played all five games in his previous two appearances. She wasn’t happy to be sitting out, especially after she got rid of Ally Ewing (4 and 3) easily in singles.
But maybe there is one side.
“The last couple of Solheims I’ve played five games, exhausted after the Solheim,” he said. “So nice to have a slightly fresher time around.”
Korda and Maguire were part of a large group at 67 that included Lydia Ko, who last played three weeks ago and had every reason to be floating on air. Along with winning Olympic gold just over a month ago, she captured the Women’s British Open at St Andrews.
Ko said her big summer – winning the gold medal getting her into the LPGA Hall of Fame – still hasn’t sunk in. He arrived in the Cincinnati area having to learn a new course. The tournament was held at Kenwood Country Club the last two years, which is undergoing some improvements.
“It’s a new golf course, so we’re all trying to get used to this TPC course and put ourselves in our shoes,” Ko said. “And sometimes I think when you see low scores, you try to chase it too much, but I tried to stick to my own kind of routine and my strategy.”
Alena Sharp of Hamilton had a 69, while Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., shot a 71.
Rose Zhang went 4-0 in her Solheim Cup matches – only needing 58 holes – and finished with three straight bogeys for a 73. Esther Henseleit had a 74, and the other seven Solheim Cup players were even or better.
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AP Golf:
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