Francella, Sumner Share Lead After Opening Round of 3rd Women’s Open Championship
SKILLMAN, N.J. –– Meaghan Francella and Kathleen Sumner share the co-lead at 1-under par 72 after the first 18-holes of the 3rd Women’s Open Championship at The Bedens Brook Club on Aug. 12.
On her front nine, Francella fired in one bogey and an off-setting birdie on No. 5, the 305-yard par 4. With four consecutive pars to end the front nine, Francella headed into the turn with at a steady even-par.
“I drove it really well,” Francella said. “I played a practice round up here last week and I felt really comfortable on the golf course. You have to think your way around it, so I felt pretty comfortable with that. I've been hitting it really good and I felt like these greens really fit my eye nicely.”
Francella won the Inaugural New Jersey Women’s Open in 2023 with a 6-over par (72-76, 148) at Montclair Golf Club.
“I think I just need to do the same thing that I did today and commit to my targets,” Francella said of winning the tournament again. “I’ve been struggling with my putter the last couple tournaments and today I felt like I hit my lines and putted really well.”
“I feel good and I'm healthy finally,” Francella continued. “I’m looking forward to just going out and playing a nice round of golf tomorrow.”
Sumner carded in two birdies on her front nine, with consecutive pars on holes 8 and 9 to close out the front 1-under par.
“I think it was really my short game,” Sumner said following her round. “My irons were solid. I hit a lot of greens and if I didn't hit a green, I made up-and-down.”
From there, Sumner, a professional at the PB Dye Club in Ijamsville, Maryland, started her back nine with seven consecutive pars, and a final birdie on No. 18 to offset a bogey on hole 17.
“I had one three putt on hole 17, but the rest of it was just making putts,” Sumner said. “I felt pretty comfortable on the greens.”
Playing 6,089-yards on Tuesday, The Bedens Brook Club served as a true test for Sumner, who felt that her short game pieced together her opening round.
“It was a challenge,” Sumner said of the course. “I will say usually par five’s are my strength, but I was even on them.”
“The par fours are gettable and the par threes were pretty gettable,” Sumner continued. “Honestly, the good conditions were what made it. Putting on fast smooth greens like that is paradise.”
Following close behind the leaders was Grace Lu, of Plainfield Country Club – West 9, and Katherine Lu, of the NJ Golf E-Club, who both shot an even-par 73.
The second round of the 3rd Women’s Open starts at 8:30 a.m. at The Bedens Brook Club on Wednesday, August 13.
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