Ryu Hae-ran one stroke off lead after opening round of BMW Ladies Championship

Ryu Hae-ran opened her bid for a third LPGA Tour victory this season by finishing tied for third after the first round of the BMW Ladies Championship, held on home soil Thursday.

Playing at Pine Beach Golf Links (par 72) in Haenam-gun, South Jeolla Province, Ryu carded five birdies against no bogeys for a 5-under 67. She sits one stroke behind co-leaders Caris Davidson of Australia and Yuriko Yoshida of Japan, who each shot 6-under 66.

Ryu has already claimed two LPGA Tour major titles this season and added a KLPGA Tour major — the Hite Jinro Championship — earlier this month. She is now chasing a third LPGA Tour win of the year and is considered a leading contender for the Vare Trophy, awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average on tour.

Ryu opened her scoring with a birdie on the par-5 second hole, then converted a chip-in from more than 15 meters on the par-4 fifth after missing the green. She added another birdie on the par-5 sixth to finish the front nine 3 under. On the back nine, she birdied the par-3 15th and holed a putt of more than 10 meters on the par-4 16th for back-to-back birdies. A short birdie putt slipped by on the par-5 17th, leaving her with a touch of regret.

After her round, Ryu said the wind was stronger than she had expected but that her practice session Wednesday had paid off. "After making three birdies and holding par for five or six holes without a bogey, those back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 felt like a gift," she said. "When I made those two birdies at the crucial stretch, I felt like I was on top of the world."

Looking ahead to the remaining rounds, she said weather would be the biggest variable on the course. "I'll calculate the wind more precisely and make up for the putts I missed today," she said. On the Vare Trophy race, Ryu said she was not thinking about it for now. "I'm just focusing on my game. I'll leave the award to fate and do my best with what I'm given."

LPGA Tour players Kim Hyo-joo and Yang Hee-young, along with KLPGA Tour players Kim Min-sun7 and Kim Min-ju, all shot 3-under 69 to finish tied for eighth. Kim Min-sun7 has two wins on the KLPGA Tour this season. Park Min-ji, Kim Min-sol, Yoo Hyun-jo and Jeon Ji-won carded 2-under 70 to share 18th place.

Co-leader Davidson said her irons and hybrid shots were close to perfect on the day. "There was a shot that nearly went in for a hole-in-one, and I hit it close to the pin several times," she said. "The wind was blowing and the pace of play was slow, but I kept my patience. I'll carry that patience and good iron play into the remaining rounds."