Danielle Ammaccapane leads the U.S. Senior Women’s Open after the first round following her 1-over 72 at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club.
There’s a three-way tie for second with Liselotte Neumann, Nanci Bowen and Barbara Moxness.
Ammaccapane posted six birdies and later said: “I hit it okay today. Didn’t hit it in any trouble.”
She finished fourth in the inaugural event a year ago, but says this year’s course is not like 2018 at Chicago Golf Club.
“The greens are just so difficult. I mean, you can’t even let up on a one-footer. I think I missed a one-footer out there. But then you make some birdies. I hit a few putts where I was like, it’s not going in, and it went in.”
Defending champion Laura Davies is three strokes back of the lead.
Eighty-year-old JoAnne Carner, who shot her age in the opening round in 2018, almost did it again on Thursday, as she was 6-over through 15 holes but carded a double bogey and triple bogey on Nos. 16 and 17. She ended up with 82.
“It was kind of fun,” Carner said. “And then when I finally did knock in a birdie putt I got a nice big roar. That was refreshing.”
