In her first professional event, rookie Haley Moore came out focused in Victoria, Australia.
Moore, who was one of 19 rookies to earn her LPGA card in November, shot an opening-round 7-under 66 on the Creek Course at 13th Beach Golf Links to take a share of third at the ISPS Handa Vic Open.
Moore sits tied with Peiyun Chien and Linnea Strom at 7 under, one stroke behind leaders Madelene Sagstrom and Haeji Kang.
“I was just trying to stick with my game plan all day and not worry about looking at a scoreboard and seeing where it was,” Moore said of her round Thursday in an interview with Golf Australia. “I was just being like everything’s going my way and just keep putting the pedal down and just keep doing this tomorrow and the next days will be good.”
Moore will play the Beach Course for Friday’s second round, but switching courses isn’t of concern. Her impressive first round of five birdies and an eagle on 18 gives her confidence.
“It’s definitely motivating as this course, the Beach Course, is a little tougher out there and when I played it was super windy, so I know that when it is windy out there it does play tough,” Moore said. “So just kind of really stick with my game plan, my caddie and I, and just go attack pins that are attackable and just play safe when I need to.”
Moore will tee off her second round alongside Stephanie Na and Cheyenne Woods from the Beach Course’s first tee Friday at 1:10 p.m. local time, Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.
