Ciganda survives double-bogey to share LPGA Portland Classic lead

Carlota Ciganda shook off an early double bogey Thursday to post a four-under par 68 and join a three-way tie for the lead in the LPGA Portland Classic in Oregon.

Spain’s Ciganda, coming off Europe’s victory in the Solheim Cup match play clash with the United States, said the chilly morning temperatures required some adjustment.

“Some shots the ball was flying 10 to 12 meters less, at least for me on the range,” she said. “I was like, ‘I need to adjust this on the golf course because it is so cold.'”

She teed off on 10 and after birdies at 11 and 12 she gave back two shots with a double bogey at the 14th. But the Spaniard would fire five more birdies with just one bogey the rest of the way.

She was joined on four-under by Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh and Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn.

Dryburgh, who also teed off early, had an eagle and five birdies along with three birdies in her roller-coaster round while Pajaree — who won her first LPGA title at the World Invitational in Northern Ireland last month — grabbed her share of the lead in the afternoon.

“Just kind of telling myself to finish the 18, honestly,” Pajaree said after a round that included five birdies and a bogey. “Try to stay hydrated and just keep filled up. Try to stay patient out there.”

The leading trio had a one-shot lead over six players.

World number two Ko Jin-young of South Korea headed that group alongside France’s Perrine Delacour, 2009 Portland winner Hir Mi-jung and Jenny Shin of South Korea and South African Paula Reto.

Ko teed off on 10 and moved to the top of the leaderboard at five-under before three straight bogeys at the sixth, seventh and eighth holes.

She capped her round with a birdie at the ninth to finish the day just one adrift.

“The weather today was colder than I thought it would be, so it was a bit tough,” Ko said. “It was disappointing to get three bogeys on my final four holes, but it’s good to finish the final hole with a birdie.”

Dryburgh’s round featured an eagle at the par-four seventh, where she holed out from almost 100 yards out.

“Just hit a little gap wedge,” she said. “Hit it pretty perfect. Actually, I thought it was going long when I saw it on the green, but it just landed perfectly just short of the pin and rolled right in like a little putt, so it was perfect.”