Both Lee and Green began the women’s strokeplay competition with even-par rounds of 71. 

It puts them five shots behind the first-round leader, Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom, who opened with a 66, and in a tie for 23rd position with three rounds to play. 

Lee was two under par through 12 holes after consecutive birdies and a near hole-out for eagle at the par-four 12th, but she leaked shots back at the par-five 14th where her tee shot went way right, and at the 17th from a greenside bunker. 

Later, she regretted the “really soft bogeys” that she had conceded. 

“I had a lot of birdies but a lot of bogeys as well. If I can get rid of the bogeys, that would have posted a good score. You know, that’s golf,” she said. 

The temperature reached 35 degrees at Kasumigaseki but the extra humidity made all the players struggle, and American Lexi Thompson’s caddy was taken to hospital with heat stroke. 

“It was bloody hot,’’ said Lee. “Really hot. I felt it more today than any other day, maybe because I played 18 holes; the other days I played nine. But you know, everyone’s in the same boat, it’s hot for everyone so I can’t complain, I guess.” 

Lee, the world No. 7, said she had mixed feelings. “I have high expectations for myself, that’s why I’m so disappointed in the even-par, but if you look at it overall, I think it’s probably not too bad of a start. I’m like 50-50.” 

She also admitted to some first-tee nerves. “I was trying to snap out of it quickly. I kind of tugged it way left. I was a little bit emotional when I got called up to be honest. More than I was at Rio anyway. It does (mean a lot), more than I thought it would. Not a tear … yet. It was just a nice feeling.” 

Green made a sloppy double bogey with a three-putt at the third and had to scramble from that point, saying later that her total of greens hit in regulation (eight) could be a career-low. 

“I felt like I played a lot worse than the score,” she said, heading for the driving range with coach Ritchie Smith. 

Martin Blake

#HaveAGo at golf