Indian golfer Aditi Ashok had a disappointing start with a 2-over 73 in the opening round to be placed T-82 at the LPGA Tour's JM Eagle LA Championship in Los Angeles. (More Sports News)
Aditi, who started on the back nine, had three bogeys and a birdie, which came on the second hole, her 11th of the day. She will need a solid second round to make the cut.
Grace Kim shot a 7-under 64 at Wilshire Country Club to take the lead. Using the morning session, the 23-year-old Australian had a bogey-free round and rounded off the day with a chip-in birdie on the par-3 18th.
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Maja Stark of Sweden, Sei Young Kim of South Korea and Chanettee Wannasaen of Thailand were a stroke back at 65.
Aditi has been having an average season so far. She has missed only a cut in six previous starts, but her best has been 21st at the HSBC Women's World Championships in Singapore in March. Last week she was T-62 at Chevron Championship.
Stark finished second last week outside Houston in The Chevron Championship, two strokes behind top-ranked Nelly Korda, who withdrew on Monday, a day after her fifth victory in a row.
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Grace Kim won the LOTTE Championship last year in a play-off in Hawaii for her first LPGA Tour title.
Auston Kim, Haeran Ryu and Nataliya Guseva shot 66, and defending champion Hannah Green matched Amy Yang and Bianca Pagdanganan at 67.
