Melanie Green ace carries her to share of LPGA lead in Mexico. Korda is 2 behind
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) — Melanie Green got the surprise of her life with a hole-in-one she didn't know she made Thursday. It carried her to a 6-under 66 and a share of the lead with Brianna Do after the opening round of the Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba. Nelly Korda showed no real sign of slowing her pace.
Despite playing in the windier afternoon that made the fairways at El Camaleon look even tighter, she opened with a 68 just four days after capturing the first major of the year. On her sixth hole of the day at the par-3 15th, Green hit a 7-iron that landed about 20 feet short of the hole and rolled into the cup . The announcers got excited because they could see it.
Green, in her first year on the LPGA, did not. “I was like, ‘OK, great shot. Phenomenal.
’ Grab the putter — normally hit the green, grab the putter, it's a cool effect. ' Then we're walking up and I'm looking at the green. There is no ball,” Green said.
She was momentarily embarrassed by having to hand her caddie the putter and take a wedge to chip. Her caddie repaired the pitch mark, glanced in the hole and saw her golf ball, which he knew by it being marked with a cross. She thought he was joking.