The Annika tournament teed off with a bang Thursday as Charley Hull and Jiwon Jeon both carded sizzling 6-under 64s to grab a share of the lead at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida. The strong start was especially sweet for Hull, coming on the heels of snapping a two-year winless drought earlier this month on the Ladies European Tour.
“I feel like I’ve been playing very, very well all year,” Hull said after her bogey-free round. “Sometimes you just forget how to win. So that’s kind of reminded me how to win.” The 26-year-old Englishwoman seems to have carried that momentum across the pond as she chases her third career LPGA Tour title.
Jeon matched Hull atop the leaderboard thanks in part to a scintillating ace on the 182-yard par-3 third hole. The South Korean used a hybrid to record her fourth career hole-in-one. “It was very cool to see the hole-in-one actually going into the hole,” Jeon said with a smile.
Korda Makes Strong Return
While Hull and Jeon set the early pace, a formidable presence lurked not far behind. World No. 1 Nelly Korda, returning to action after sitting out nearly two months with a neck injury, shook off some early rust and rallied late to post a 4-under 66 in her first competitive round since September.
“Was definitely a little nervous on the first couple holes, just not knowing what to expect of my game because I have not been playing too much,” Korda admitted. But the Olympic gold medalist found her form on the back nine, reeling off four birdies over her final five holes, including a chip-in birdie at the last to pull within two of the lead.
Dryburgh, Lee Off to Fast Starts
Gemma Dryburgh and Mi Hyang Lee also got off to hot starts with matching 65s to sit one back of the co-leaders. Lee, who entered the week precariously perched at 59th in the Race to the CME Globe standings, made a big move to solidify her position inside the top 60 and secure her spot in next week’s lucrative CME Group Tour Championship.
Jeon’s Card Quest
Jeon finds herself in a more precarious position at No. 98 in the season-long points race. Only the top 100 players retain full LPGA status for next season, putting the 30-year-old in danger of losing her card. But Jeon isn’t letting that pressure consume her.
“Obviously, I want to keep my card for next year, but I try not to think about it too much,” Jeon said. “I literally gave everything for last three days’ practice…I want to continue to do the same thing for the rest of the tournament.”
With 54 holes still to play and a star-studded leaderboard, The Annika is shaping up for an exciting finish. Can Hull ride her recent wave of success to another trophy? Will Jeon ace the biggest test of her career to lock up LPGA status for 2025? Could a healthy Korda regain her dominant form and pull away from the pack on the weekend?
The stage is set for a dramatic and impactful three days ahead at Pelican Golf Club. The stakes are high – for the trophy, the record $4 million winner’s prize, and for players on the LPGA card bubble. If round one was any indication, fans are in for a treat as the world’s best compete at golf legend Annika Sorenstam’s signature event.
