Hye-Jin Choi immediately made her mark at the Buick LPGA Shanghai, seizing the early lead with a flawless 8-under 64. The Korean delivered a stellar round on Thursday and stands three strokes clear of the competition, led by Carlota Ciganda. What a statement to kick off the Asian Swing!
Eight birdies and not a single bogey – that's golf at its finest. Particularly impressive: Choi needed just 22 putts, despite missing six greens. Clear proof of her icy-cold touch on the greens and par-saves that won't soon be forgotten. She herself admitted not being in top form, but her long putting was exceptionally strong.
Nerves of Steel on the Green
While Choi sparkled with her performance, Carlota Ciganda is close behind with a 5-under 67. Rio Takeda, Yin Ruoning, and Grace Kim share third place at 4-under 68. Defending champion Jeeno Thitikul, who prevailed in a playoff against Minami Katsu in 2025, is also very much in contention with a 3-under 69 and a tie for seventh place.
The Path to a First LPGA Title?
For Hye-Jin Choi, this lead is more than just a good start. She already has twelve titles on the Korean Tour, but on the LPGA Tour, she's still awaiting her first victory after 123 starts since 2022. This week, the drought could finally break.
With World Number One Nelly Korda and World Number Three Yoo Hae-ran both absent from the field, the stage is set. The opening round in Shanghai, held for the first time at the challenging Sheshan Golf Club, which has hosted the HSBC Champions World Golf Championship eleven times, promises plenty of drama. Choi holds a strong lead, but golf is a marathon, not a sprint. The coming rounds will reveal if she can realize her dream of an LPGA victory.
