Nairn, Scotland: St Andrews University student Judy Joo birdied the final two holes to post a sub-par score on day one of qualifying in the 122nd Women’s Amateur Championship.
The 19-year-old Korean recovered well after an ignominious opening-hole double-bogey six at Nairn. She reached the turn in two-over 38 but picked up shots at 10, 17 and 18 to sign for a 71.
Joo, 249th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), has won two events on the R&A Student Tour, in Sweden last year and Spain in 2025.
There were solid starts, too, from the five other Asia-Pacific representatives in the 144-strong field.
Jazy Roberts and Momo Sugiyama both returned even-par 72s while fellow-Australian Celine Chen had a 73, a score match by Indian Mannat Brar.
China’s Li Menghan snared five birdies but was left to rue a triple-bogey six at the 199-yard 14th en route to a 74.
Following Wednesday’s second round of stroke play, the top 64 players will progress to the match play stage from Thursday to Sunday.
Denmark’s Marie Eline Madsen set a brisk pace on day one. The 20-year-old North Carolina State University student raced to the turn in 30 on her way to a course-record six-under 66 as she finished two shots clear of American Jasmine Koo.
“The Women’s Amateur Championship is very special to me,” said Madsen, who has won twice this year on the US college circuit.
Koo pieced together a tidy, bogey-free 68 as the 19-year-old revelled in her first experience of Scottish links golf.
Koo’s Curtis Cup team-mate, Anna Davis, birdied three holes in a row from the 10th in a 69 while Scotland’s Hannah Darling, a beaten semi-finalist in both 2021 and 2022, also opened with a three-under round to tuck herself in among the qualifying front-runners.
American Catherine Park, the highest ranked player in the field at seventh in the WAGR, posted a 73.
