WAAP Champion Wu's Scottish Baptism of Fire

St Andrews, Scotland: The colour red may have been conspicuous by its absence from her scorecard, but Wu Chun-wei made a promising start to her AIG Women’s Open debut.

Participating at the Home of Golf courtesy of her victory in February’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP), Wu toured the fabled Old Course at St Andrews in three-over-par 75.

Although birdies eluded her in the high winds that blew many big-name stars off course, the 19-year-old from Chinese Taipei churned out 15 pars to go alongside three bogeys.

Heading into Friday’s second round, Wu is tied for 63rd and will need a similarly strong showing if she’s to make the cut and progress to the weekend.

Given that she was 264th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), Wu’s wire-to-wire victory at Siam Country Club’s Waterside Course six months ago was one of the biggest upsets in the history of the WAAP.

In addition to winning the Rae-Vadee T. Suwan Champion’s Medal, Wu was rewarded with starts in three Major championships this year - the Amundi Evian Championship in France, the Chevron Championship in America and the AIG Women’s Open.

She also received invitations to a handful of other elite championships including the Hana Financial Group Championship, ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open, The 121st Women’s Amateur Championship and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Wu is one of five amateurs in the starting line-up at St Andrews.

The top-two players in the WAGR, England’s Lottie Woad and Spaniard Julia Lopez-Ramirez both carded opening even-par 72s, along with Women’s Amateur Latin America champion Ela Anacona of Argentina, who parred her first 15 holes.

With Sweden’s Louise Rydqvist posting a 74, the race for the Smyth Salver – awarded to the best-placed amateur who completes 72 holes – is wide open.

At the end of the first round, England’s Charley Hull, last year’s runner-up, led the way with a five-under 67, one shot clear of American world number one Nelly Korda and China’s Yin Ruoning.

World number six Yin held sole possession of the lead for almost nine hours after signing for a 68, compiled in the toughest conditions.

With the winds finally easing in the evening, Hull and Korda both took full advantage, with the former birdieing the final hole to overhaul Yin.

Korda picked up shots on each of the last two holes to match Yin’s 68, while the third member of the marquee grouping, defending champion Lilia Vu, is in a six-way share of fourth place on three-under with Koreans Jenny Shin and Lee Mi-hyang, Thai Patty Tavatanakit, Japan’s Mao Saigo and American Andrea Lee.

Thailand's Atthaya ‘Jeeno’ Thitikul, winner of the inaugural WAAP in 2018, is tied for 18th on even-par, one stroke ahead of a group that includes Singaporean Shannon Tan and Chinese Taipei’s Tseng Yani, one of only three players to win two consecutive AIG Women's Open titles.