Thursday Notes from the AIG Women's Open Championship

1. Seventeen Japanese players were introduced on the first tee at Royal Porthcawl Thursday. By the time the first round finished, six of those 17 landed on the very top of the leaderboard at T-4 or better. That group includes co-leaders Eri Okayama and Rio Takeda who set the pace at 5-under par. Takeda's fellow LPGA rookies Miyu Yamashita and Chisato Iwai clocked in at -4 and -3 respectively, and don't forget about Chevron champion Mao Saigo who is also two shots back. That's an absurd amount of players at the top, even considering how incredible of a year the Japanese contingent has had so far in 2025. Japanese women have had a player in the top ten of every major this year except for the Evian Championship where Rio Takeda finished just outside at T-11. Just six years after Hinako Shibuno’s breakthrough victory, there could very well be another Japanese Women's Open champion.

2. The leaderboard gets quite crowded after you get by the leaders, with a total of 16 players at 2-under par, including Americans Andrea Lee, Brooke Matthews, Lindy Duncan, Auston Kim, and Nelly Korda. Korda strung together nine pars in a row, including a few fabulous up-and-downs, to keep her within striking distance of the leaders. With five holes moved up more than twenty yards from the practice round tees, driver was taken out of Korda's hands for much of the day, limiting her distance advantage. According to Korda, a shorter course doesn’t necessarily make for an easier day . "Every day is a challenge and you kind of just have to be very patient out here,” she said. “The golf course is also firming up a lot, so on 17 I was hitting a hybrid in the practice rounds, and [today] I hit a 6-iron that I had to hold off because it was going to run through." With winds around 15-20mph expected for the rest of the week, Royal Porthcawl might not be more gettable than it was on Thursday.

3. A frustrating first round for Lottie Woad has her at even par. After making just three bogeys all of last week en route to her Scottish Open win, this summer’s sensation made four on Thursday alone. Woad said it was "one of those rounds that could have definitely gotten away from me". It may be a sign of her heater coming to an end, or it may end up being the worst round she has all week. Woad continues to perform more like a veteran than a newly minted pro. Keeping a round on the rails and turning a 75 into a 72 in a major championship usually takes far more reps and experience. As we've all witnessed this past month, she's a quick learner.

4. The feel good story from Thursday goes to Wales's own Darcey Harry. The Royal Porthcawl member sits at 2-under despite being "super nervous" playing in front of the home crowd. With boyfriend and DPWT player Jacob Skov Olesen on the bag to keep the mood light, Harry kept the nerves in check. She and fellow countrywoman Lydia Hall, currently T51, could make it two-for-two and give Wales plenty to cheer about this weekend. 

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