Defending Cambia Portland Classic winner Hannah Green continued her strong play at Columbia Edgewater Country Club, shooting a 6-under 66 on Friday to join Cydney Clanton atop the leaderboard after the first round.

Green held a one-stroke lead through 17 holes but made her only bogey of the day on No. 18, which played as the hardest hole on Friday. That one hole aside, Green was happy with Friday’s outcome in her first experience as defending champion.

“I missed quite a lot of greens compared to my score, so the only putt I really missed was the one on the last, so to say that it pretty good,” said Green, who finished just as darkness was starting to set in. “That's what I hope that I can continue. I know they're a little bit bumpy this afternoon, so hopefully I can just keep rolling it well and they will actually drop.”

Playing in the morning wave, Clanton made seven birdies and one bogey on her round, including a lights-out 5-under 31 on the back nine. Where Green bogeyed No. 18, Clanton was one of just 14 players to birdie the closing hole.

“I hit the ball really well, but I've been hitting the ball really well, and the putter was finally hot. I finally made some putts,” said Clanton, winner of the 2019 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. “It's also nice to hit some really close and had a par-5 in two have a two-putt. So it was really nice to see the ball starting to go in the hole.”

Five players are tied for third at -5, including 2020 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions winner Gaby Lopez.

After dangerous air-quality levels forced tournament officials to reduce the tournament to a 54-hole event, Friday’s rains finally brought fresh air to the Portland area. Play was suspended for nearly 1.5 hours due to lightning in the vicinity of Columbia Edgewater. Play was then suspended for darkness at 7:19 p.m. with 20 players still to finish their first rounds. The first round will resume Saturday at 7:15 a.m., concurrently with the start of the second round.

Defending Champion Hannah Green Shares First Round Lead At Cambia Portland Classic

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