MESA, ARIZONA, March 30, 2017 - Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec, Canada) continued her stellar start to the 2017 season with a 6-under, 66 to lead after day one of the Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club. Tanguay made five birdies and an eagle to shoot her low round of the season. Former UCLA All-American Stephanie Kono (Honolulu, Hawaii) is one back at 5-under, 67. There are five players two off the lead including Chandler, Ariz. native Kyung Kim, who was the 2010 Arizona High School Player of the Year.
There are ten players within three shots of the lead.
Tanguay, who ranks third on the Volvik Race for the Card money list with two top 10 finishes to start the season, has posted seven straight under-par rounds.
“It was a good day, I got the putter rolling,” said Tanguay, who needed just 27 putts. “I had a really good par save on 12 and that really keep me rolling and then the eagle on 15. As the round went on, I kept hitting it closer and closer. Being in good position off the tee gave me good chances from the fairway and I think the pins were pretty accessible today.”
Tanguay had 225 yards to the pin on the par-5 15th.
“I just had a downhill lie so I hit a bullet down towards the flag and it was a great shot and it fed to the green,” explained Tanguay. “I drained a 25-footer and just gave myself chances.”
Tanguay felt her putter was a tad light during practice for the IOA Championship last week. So, she found a Golf
Galaxy an hour from Beaumont and drove mid-week to pick up lead tape to add weight to the bottom of her putter.
“My putter is now 10 grams heavier and since then it has been rolling really good.”
In seven rounds this year on the Epson Tour, Tanguay is 19-under with no over-par rounds.
“These are the best seven consecutive rounds that I’ve had because of how consistent they are,” explained Tanguay. “I’m just really happy with where my game is at right now.”
The 26-year-old is familiar with Longbow Golf Club. While in college at Oklahoma, she played in the Culver Cup at Longbow Golf Club.
“It’s great to be back and I really like to play golf courses again to test my game,” said Tanguay. “Arizona golf is great. I had a lot of wedges in and a lot of opportunities. The greens are rolling really, really pure and it was a fun day overall.”
Meanwhile, Kono made three birdies on her front nine and two on the back. She did not have a blemish on her scorecard.
“I hit almost every fairway and I only missed two greens where I had to chip so I gave myself a ton of
chances,” explained Kono, who made birdies on both nine and 18. “I started off hitting the ball really well. It felt like I could go even lower, but 5-under isn’t too bad.”
Kono has had great success at Longbow Golf Club in the past. She finished third in 2013 and T4 in 2015.
“I have some good memories here and I like playing desert golf,” said the former UCLA Bruins golfer. “I like seeing the ball go far and the greens are a little easier to read.”
Kono has a unique routine after each round. She purchased a Trackman in the middle of 2016 and uses it before and after each round she plays.
“The Trackman gives me certain numbers and I try to hit them to work out distance control,” explained Kono. “It has really helped my wedge game and keeps me consistent.”
Kono has conditional LPGA Tour status and expects to bounce back-and-forth between the two tours. She made 14 starts on the LPGA in 2016.)
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