Tyson Agler, The Oregonian – “Carlota Ciganda, Pajaree Anannarukarn, Gemma Dryburgh share lead at Portland Classic after challenging opening round at Oregon Golf Club”

WEST LINN — Flags with the faces of each of the past 49 winners of the Portland Classic line the drive leading up to the Oregon Golf Club, and in front of the driving range, with Mount Hood serving as the backdrop, a large “50” constructed of roses stands for spectators’ photos.

There’s history to this tournament and event organizers made sure fans were aware of it. The course, however, played nothing like the Portland Classics of old.

In its now 50-year history, the Classic has been held at Columbia Edgewater Country Club 42 times. But organizers moved the event from Edgewater to OGC 12 weeks ago, citing safety concerns related to a nearby homeless encampment along Portland’s Northeast 33rd Drive. And while Edgewater is relatively flat, Oregon Golf Club winds through hills and woods of Douglas fir. Mix in morning winds that ushered in drastically cooler temperatures than earlier in the week, and yes, it was a challenging track for the world’s best.

“It’s a new course, quite hilly and it was very cold this morning,” said Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, who shot a 68 with a black knit cap pulled over her ears the entire round. “Pretty happy with 4-under on this golf course.”

Ciganda, who teed off at 7:33 a.m. when it was only 48 degrees, finished the day in a three-way tie for the lead with Pajaree Anannarukarn and Gemma Dryburgh. Ciganda said she was losing about “10 to 12 meters” off her shots with the cool temperatures in the morning, though those teeing off later in the day had to contend with increasing winds whipping through the course. Dryburgh, who also teed off early, had the most adventurous round of the opening day, recording three bogeys, five birdies and an eagle on No. 7 when she connected with a gap wedge from 98 yards out.

“Hit it perfectly,” Dryburgh said. “Actually I thought it was going long, but it just landed perfectly, just short of the pin and rolled in like a little putt, so it was perfect.”

A general view of the sign representing the 50th year of the Cambia Portland Classic at the Oregon Golf Club on Sept. 16, 2021, in West Linn. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)Getty Images

And it was also necessary to put up a score that would keep pace with Anannarukarn in the afternoon. The 22-year-old from Thailand won her first LPGA tournament a month ago in Northern Ireland, and closed out her opening round here in Oregon with birdies on two of her final five holes to end the day with a share of the lead.

“I was just kind of telling myself to finish the 18, honestly,” said Anannarukarn, who noted the fatigue of walking the slopes of the course. “Just trying to stay patient out there. It’s been a really hilly course and I just try to keep myself in the fairway, hit some good shots and try to get good speed on the green.”

Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand watches her tee shot on the second hole during the first round of the LPGA Cambia Portland Classic golf tournament in West Linn on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Dipaola)AP

It was a round that also put some distance between her and world No. 2 Jin Young Ko, who looked dominant for much of the afternoon before a late-round stumble. Ko was 5 under through her first 14 holes before three consecutive bogeys torpedoed a near-flawless round. Her 3-under 69 leaves her tied for fourth.

“It was disappointing to get three bogies in my final four holes,” Ko said, “but it’s good to finish the last hole with a birdie.”

University of Oregon junior Tze-Han Lin, playing in the tournament as an amateur, carded an 11-over 83.

With wet weather expected over the weekend, Friday’s second round takes on added importance. It’s supposed to stay dry in the Portland area, giving golfers their best chance of putting up numbers on a course that’s already developing a new reputation for the 50-year-old tournament.

“It’s really hard to judge a place you’ve never competed on before, so I felt like it played a little bit tougher than what I was expecting,” said Canadian Brooke Henderson after her 2-under 70. “I’m excited. Tomorrow afternoon should be a little warmer than this morning, so hopefully go out and continue to hit it well and make a lot of birdies.”