New Coach Helps Patcharajutar to Kick Off Well in LPGA Bahamas

Patcharajutar or better known as P.K., which is her professional name on the LPGA, had seven birdies in but hers began on the back nine, where she birdied the same three holes as Lincicome. She then birdied the first, the par-5 fourth and seventh holes and added another at eight.

"I have a lot of confidence right now," she said. "I hit the ball solid. And (I'm) putting well,” said Patcharajutar who settled at tied seventh in 2014.

The 2013 Symetra Tour player of the year is in her fourth full season on the LPGA Tour with a new found confidence thanks to work she started near the end of last season with a new coach.

“I have been to L.A. for two months to practise there and see my coach, Joe Hallett,” Kongkraphan said.

The switch appears to be paying off as the Thai kicked off her season in style in Bahamas.

 “He just made me, how should I say, more comfortable with my swing.  He never change a lot of thing but I just do what I have to do.  I mean, like I don’t have to practice everything a lot.  He make me like do something like drill, you know, he have a drill.  Nothing changed much.”

The duo also worked on setting goals for the 2017 season.

“I set a goal with Joe.  Not like top 20 or top 5, I just make like putting   driving distance better, like GIR better and putting a bit better.  So getting better, everything just a little bit better.  That’s my goal.”

Lincicome fired a tournament record nine-under par 64 Thursday to grab a two-stroke lead. She made seven birdies and eagled the par-5 seventh hole in a bogey-free tour of the Ocean Club course on Paradise Island, her lowest round since a 64 at the 2011 ShopRite Classic and one shot below the old mark she matched in the 2016 last round on her way to sharing eighth.

"I was making everything -- 30-footers, 10-footers, five-footers -- it was a pretty easy day," Lincicome said. "I was driving it well, hitting it well, putting, making everything.

"It was one of those where it's like, wow, is it too good to be true for it to keep going for three more days?"

The 31-year-old Floridian seeks her first victory since capturing her second major crown in 2015 at Rancho Mirage and only her second win overall since 2011. She has six career LPGA triumphs, including a prior major win at Rancho Mirage in 2009.

Patcharajutar and Americans Stacy Lewis and Megan Khang shared second on 66 with China's Feng Simin, France's Celine Herbin and American Gerina Piller on 67.

World number 45 Lincicome birdied the second hole and began a run of three consecutive birdies at the par-5 fourth before her eagle at seven. She birdied the par-5 11th and 15th holes around another birdie at 14 then closed with three pars to equal the course record as well as set a new event mark.

Lewis, twice a Bahamas runner-up, began her day with a bogey at the 10th, then birdied 13 and 15 before a run of five birdies in six holes starting with the par-3 17th and par-5 18th and finishing with three in a row ending at the par-5 fifth. Another at seven gave the world number 14 a share of second.

"Bit of a slow start, a little bit of nerves I guess, not trusting what I was doing to start," Lewis said. "But really got the putter rolling middle of the round and birdied the par-5 s, which is what you have to do on this course."

US teen Khang, another back nine starter, birdied the par-5 11th and 13th then began a run of three birdies in a row at the par-5 18th. Birdies at the par-5 fourth and par-4 eighth boosted her in a bogey-free start.

Thai No 2 Pornanong Phatlum opened with a 68, while Moriya Jutanugarn hit a 71. World No 2 Ariya Jutanugarn fired a 75.