Bowie Young in front in Brazil

Heather Bowie Young leads by two strokes after the first round of the LPGA Tour’s 36-hole Brazil Cup.
Heather Bowie Young leads by two strokes after the first round of the LPGA Tour’s 36-hole Brazil Cup.
Bowie Young shot a 6-under-par 66 in the first round in cold and wet conditions to lead by two over Norway’s Suzann Pettersen and Australian Lindsey Wright.
“It wasn’t ideal, but we really just had two significant downpours that really didn’t last very long,” Young said. “Really the only hole that was difficult because of the weather was the third hole because its already a long hole and since it was raining it made it even longer.”
Young carded eight birdies and two bogeys in the exhibition event, which only features 30 players in the field.
“I had a good day,” said the American. “I hit my irons well and was able to make putts and that’s really all it comes down to to play well. … I don’t really expect anything, I’m just going to try to go out there and do the same thing I did today. I just want to go out there with a good clear head.”
Pettersen is coming off a victory last week in the Sybase Match Play Championship, and could make her precense felt in the final round.
Catriona Matthew, who win this event in 2009 while five months pregnant, was three shots back after a 69 alongside Azahara Munoz and Mariajo Uribe.
Defending champion Meaghan Francella shot a 71, and Cristie Kerr opened with a 72.
Sunday’s winner will receive $108,000 for her efforts.
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