The LPGA Tour resumes activity in Hawaii. The first consequence is that the tournament, as usual on the American island, starts on Wednesday and ends on Saturday. The first round has left us with a regular in the upper echelons of the American circuit, the Japanese player Akie Iwai (-8). In the last two years, she has been first after the opening round on four occasions. This year alone, she has already started three times with rounds of 64 strokes or less. Iwai leads alone with a one-stroke advantage over Peiyun Chein (-7), Gabriela Ruffels (-7), and Nasa Hataoka (-7).
Akie Iwai, who has signed an almost perfect card with nine birdies, a solitary bogey, and only one missed fairway and green, barely knows how to say a few words in English, but her golf is more than enough to have made an immediate and very strong impression on the LPGA Tour alongside her twin Chisato. There is a long way to go to reach the finish line at the Hoakalei Country Club course, but the candidacy for victory is already formally presented. It would be the second in less than two months, as she opened her record last August in Portland.
In Hawaii, we have only one Spaniard. It is Azahara Muñoz (-3), and her start has been promising. She has placed in 25th position, a noble area. The average score during the first round was 70.70, so Azahara played better than average. She shares her position with Nelly Korda (-3). The golfer raised in Guadalmina made four birdies and only one bogey. She has been solid from tee to green and only lacked a bit more accuracy with the putter to have finished even closer to the lead. She missed only four fairways and four greens.
Azahara is playing for a lot this week. Right now, she occupies the 104th position in the Race to CME Globe and needs to finish the year among the top 100 to maintain her full playing rights for the next season without having to go through the School. She only has two sure shots left, this LOTTE Championship and the Annika in Florida, just the week before the circuit final. Next week the Asian tour starts, and for now, the player from Malaga is not entering these tournaments. In next week’s China tournament, she is the tenth reserve.
Azahara therefore needs a good performance this week to avoid being too needy for that last event in Florida. It is the main goal. Anything that would result in finishing among the top 15 would be a very important boost. With a top 10, she would almost secure her position for the next year. It should be noted that very few of those fighting around the 100th position enter the Asian tournaments.
