‘I couldn’t control the tempo of my swing’: Tiffany Chan off to bumpy start in maiden LPGA Tour event
The 24-year-old shoots a four-over 77 at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic but is confident she is still in the hunt
She had to fight a howling wind and a solid dose of nerves and for 16 holes Tiffany Chan Tsz-ching did just that on her LPGA Tour debut in the Bahamas.
A triple bogey on the eighth, her second-last hole, was the only major blemish for the 24-year-old as she got her first taste of life at the top level in the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic.
She finished the opening day with a four-over 77 to be nine shots behind leader Brooke Henderson in a tie for 75th and was refreshingly honest after her round.
“It was really windy and I tried not to be nervous. At the end of the round I tried to evaluate myself and I think I couldn’t control the tempo of my swing,” she said.
“I had a big number on one hole, but overall I think I did pretty good, just unlucky on that hole.
“I sat down at lunch time and tried to think what I have done wrong and went back to the range, took some swing videos and I felt good again after the range work. It’s windy, anything can happen and I’m really looking forward to the second round.”
Chan’s round featured two bogeys and a birdie to go with her triple in what was a largely consistent effort from the first Hongkonger to make it on to the LPGA Tour.
“I think it was the windiest hole on the course because it was right next to the beach,” Chan said about her hiccup on the eighth.
“I hit three balls in the hazard today, one of them I made bogey and then two hazards on the same hole on eight.
“It was more just confidence, it was so windy that you just have to trust it. Trust where you aim, trust your shot, which I think I didn’t do very well on that hole which cost me a few strokes.”
Play was suspended due to darkness with a handful of players still out on the course and the cut line hovering around three over.
“I think the cut will remain at three, four or five tomorrow, so I just have to play my own game,” Chan said about her chances of progressing to the weekend.
“I think I did really well, it was only that one hole. I was only one over until that hole so I’m still in pretty good shape right now.”
