Frances Bondad 67 (-5)

A great round of 67 with six birdies and one bogey. How do you rate your play today?
It was very steady. I hit every single fairway and I made a lot of putts.

Have you been practising putting?
I have this week because I didn’t putt well last week so I’m glad it’s paying off.

What was your preparation like?
Last week I played my first LPGA event. I didn’t play very well and was nervous all week but I learned so much just from one week: more than I have on tour. It was a good experience for me and I feel comfortable this week. I’m in my comfort zone and I feel good.

What did you learn?
Routine. They are so meticulous about their routine, which I have incorporated into my game this week. Before, I never used to take any practice swings and now I’m taking practise swings. It helps with my speed, having a good routine.

What are your expectations here?
Just to keep playing the way I’m playing, hitting fairways and greens like normal. To wake up feeling good every day.

Your putting was exceptional today.
It was just luck; luck and maybe a little bit of my practise as well.

You three putted five but holed long putts on eight and nine from 25 feet. Then 11 was around 20 feet. You chipped in from the fringe on 12. 14 was a three-footer and 17 a 15 footer.
Yes. It was a good day.

Rebecca Coakley 69 (-3)

What was the key today?
I think the key today was just having control of the golf ball. It was very windy but I just hit fairways and greens and a couple of greens that I did miss, I missed in the right places and it was relatively easy to make up and downs.
I played really steady except for maybe the last four holes, tee to green I was very steady and then just made a couple of putts and had a chip-in on eight. I didn’t do much wrong.

Did you get nervous when you saw your name at the top of the leader board?
No, not really, because it’s so early in the tournament. I just carried on like a normal round of golf.

What are your expectations now?
Obviously I’d love to win, but I just take each day as it comes. If I can play like I did today for the next two days, I think I’ll be in contention. A top five like last year would be fantastic.

What do you like about the course?
I really like the layout. The greens are in really good condition. You can give it a little bit of a rip off the tee. It’s quite open so it can be forgiving off the tee, which is nice. I think it’s a great course. This year it’s in even better condition, so I enjoy coming here.

What about the conditions?
It is playing long, I think because of the colder weather. The ball isn’t travelling as far. I’m striking the ball okay and the only thing I’ve done differently this week compared to last week, I haven’t hit any balls, as such. All I’ve done is short game as last week my short game wasn’t great so I knew I had to get that better for this week and that’s all I’ve done really.
I had one pitch to get up and down on six, so that was really good and to chip in on eight: it’s nice that your hard work pays off.

How did you make your birdies?
On 14, I hit it short of the pin on the par three down the hill and holed a 25 foot putt. It was six or seven metres.
Five, I hit a good pitching wedge to three metres and holed the putt. And then I chipped in from just short left on eight. It was a sand wedge from about 10 metres.

Does the cold weather suit you?
Probably the wind suits me. I don’t think it matters where you live: the cold is always cold.

No bogeys. How did you do it?
I just hit fairways and greens and the greens that I did miss I chipped it up to a foot. I really didn’t put myself under too much pressure to make par.

Many players said the greens are so big. What do you think of that?
The greens are big but you’ve just got to miss it in the right place really, to leave yourself not too long of a shot.

I saw some players ate hairy crabs. Did you?
I haven’t been lucky enough to try that. I must! The Chinese food at the restaurant is really nice. I like a lot of food. I had the beef noodles in exo sauce: that was pretty good last night.

What’s the plan for the weekend?
Tomorrow I’ll do the same as I did today. The good thing is I get a bit more of a lie in that I did today. Unfortunately I was up at 4.20 this morning. That doesn’t happen too often. I’ll keep at my short game and try and get it sharper each day.

Dewi-Claire Schreefel (-3)

What did you hit into the sixth hole for your second shot?
A gap wedge, 52 degrees. I had about 93 yards and I was planning it to roll down bit it span back and went straight in the hole.

How was your game?
It was very steady. I hit 13 fairways, 16 greens. I didn’t hole too many putts: just two, but the eagle helps and one three-putt for the bogey. Overall I had good chances and not too many problems.

How did you find the course?
It played really long in the practise rounds. I think the wind died down a lot in the afternoon but if the wind is like it is in the morning: that’s hard.

What brings you to China?
I’m an LET member and I need to play in six events. I need to get some money because I played in America during the summer. This is my sixth but I’m going to Korea, so it should be good.

Kylie Walker (-2)

How do you feel about your start?
I’m happy because I didn’t get off to the greatest of starts. I bogeyed the second and three-putted the fourth so I was two over through four holes. I scrabbled about a bit on the front nine and then on the back I hit my irons a lot better and I was hitting it in close.
On the front nine I didn’t hit my irons very well but it was really cold when we started off and I think the conditions were maybe a bit tougher for the first two hours of play. For the back nine it heated up a bit and the sun came out. It was nicer.

How are you enjoying your first trip to China?
I’m having a great time. It’s a whole new experience for me because I’ve never been to Asia before. The weather is quite like home so for me it’s not too cold or anything.

How do you feel about the course?
The course is great: really, really good and the greens are brilliant. They are actually the best greens I’ve putted on all year. I really like the course: it’s playing long and I like that. It’s set up long.

What were your reasons for coming to China?
Just for the experience. This is my first year on Tour and at the start of the season I had the whole new experience. I kind of found my rhythm towards the end of the European tournaments but I wanted to keep going and keep playing and the whole new experience of coming out to China.

What is your aim?
Starting out today, I didn’t have greatly high hopes because I feel like I have a sore throat and it’s slipped into my chest so maybe a chest infection. I think I’ve maybe picked it up with the cold weather and travelling and everything. My expectations weren’t very high but I’m delighted to have shot two-under and it’s a great start to the tournament. Tomorrow I just look to go out and play the same shots: keep the game plan the same and keep rolling the eight and six footers in.

Nikki Garrett (-2)

How do you rate your round?
It was really good. I putted really well today, so I’ve been putting really well the last couple of weeks and it’s shown in my scores so I’m happy.

Is it something you’ve been working on at home?
I only had three weeks at home but I did work really hard with my coach on putting and things like that so I have been working pretty hard: I always do. I had 27 putts.

This is your first time here. Are you enjoying China?
Apparently I enjoy China and the golf courses. It was cold out there this morning. I think I had five layers on and I’ve still got four on. Maybe I like it early. It was nice and early and I had a good group so I can’t complain.

Do you like early wake up calls?
I do. I was just saying to Lee-Anne that I’d rather have the 7am that a 12pm time. I play early every week at home so I’m used to it.