Ai Miyazato struggled to cope with strong winds in her native Okinawa and found herself in danger of failing to make the cut after carding a 9-over 80 in the first round of the Asia-Japan Okinawa Open on Thursday.
Japan LPGA star Miyazato, the first Japanese woman to play on the country's top-tier men's circuit, is next to bottom in the field of 126 golfers after making just one birdie against five bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey at Naha Golf Club. Fijian Dinesh Chand and Kaname Yokoo shot 65s to share the lead, followed by Hiroyuki Fujita at 66 and Kenichi Kuboya at 67.
"It was tough. I was unable to read the winds well and I also had really bad tee shots. Unconsciously, I might have sought more distance than usual and couldn't play my game," Miyazato said.
Miyazato started her round on the 10th tee and bogeyed the next two holes before making her only birdie on the par-4 14th.