SOUTHERN PINES — Ask any patron Thursday morning who would be near the top of the leaderboard after a day one of the U.S. Women’s Open and few would have listed Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad.
It was a scorcher at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club with temperatures topping out in the mid-90s. While the temperatures were hot, so was Lindblad’s game.
The No. 2 amateur golfer in the world came out of the gate in round one with a blistering score of 6-under par score of 65. She recorded seven birdies and one bogey on the card, hoisting her into an outright lead for most of the day until fellow competitor Mina Harigae, of California, grabbed a 1-stroke lead late in the day.
Most of the focus for the 8:50 tee time was on another Swede, Annika Sorenstam, who is making her return to Pine Needles where she won the 1996 Women’s Open.
Though Sorenstam brought the crowds, Linblad stole the show on day one.
Lindblad is one off the lead and tees off Friday at 2:35 p.m. off the first tee with playing partners Sorenstam and South Korean golfer So Yeon Ryu.
