In Midland, Michigan, Ruoning Yin from China and Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand blazed a trail early and maintained their momentum through the back nine in Thursday’s foursomes, carding a 6-under 64. This score positioned them alongside two other pairs for the lead after the first round of the Dow Championship.
Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho, Solheim Cup teammates who had never partnered before, secured an eagle late in their round to join Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen and Jaravee Boonchant at 64. This event, unique as the only official team competition on the LPGA Tour schedule, showcased Yin and Thitikul’s dominance, highlighted by Thitikul’s exceptional putting prowess, which Yin described as “so hot you don’t want to touch it.”
For Ewing and Kupcho, their round featured a brief setback with a lone bogey post-turn, swiftly recovered with a birdie on No. 2 and an eagle on the par-5 third hole. Reflecting on the contrasting challenge of the recent Sahalee tournament, Ewing appreciated the shift to partner golf, finding the format refreshing and supportive.
Other notable performances included the American duo of Jennifer Chang and Annie Park, along with the Taiwanese pair Wei-Ling Hsu and Ssu-Chia Cheng, both posting scores of 65. Meanwhile, the Canadian star Brooke Henderson partnered with Lexi Thompson to stay competitive with a 66, matched by the English duo Georgia Hall and Charley Hull, who navigated challenges including Hull’s limited course familiarity due to prior commitments.
Friday’s round will see teams competing in fourballs, promising potentially higher scores in this alternate format.
