SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. (AP) — Ingrid Lindblad decided months ago that she wanted to stay in college instead of turning professional.

That might be a financial decision she comes to regret.

The 22-year-old Swede shot the lowest round by an amateur in the 77-year history of the U.S. Women’s Open, a 6-under 65 that left her a shot behind first-round leader Mina Harigae on Thursday.

Because she’s an amateur, Lindblad wouldn’t be able to collect the record $1.8 million first-place prize if she wins. She would have had to declare as a professional before the tournament began.

When asked if, in hindsight, that was a mistake, the LSU junior known to her friends as “Iggy” paused and said with a smile, “I’m going to stay in college for like another year or so.

“But when you say it, yeah … it would have been fun to win a little bit of money,” she said.

She has a 54 holes to navigate, but Lindblad has a chance to become only the second amateur to win the U.S. Women’s Open. The other was Catherine Lacoste in 1967.

Lindblad didn’t seem overwhelmed at the opportunity.

“Yeah, it’s possible,” she said.

Three amateurs had previously shot 66 — Carol Semple Thompson in 1994, Brittany Lincicome in 2004 and Gina Kim in 2019.

Lindblad tied for 30th at 6-over 292 in her only other U.S. Women’s Open appearance in 2020.

She set the tone for a strong opening round in Southern Pines by winning the Southeastern Conference individual championship in April after making a 38-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole. She showed some of that same prowess on Thursday, needing only 26 putts.

“She was fearless,” said Lindblad’s playing partner, Annika Sorenstam, Sweden’s most famous female golfer and a three-time U.S. Women’s Open champion.

Lindblad will have to contend with what is shaping up to be a strong leaderboard.

Three-time major winner Anna Nordqvist, also from Sweden, and 2021 Evian Championship champion Minjee Lee of Australia were at 67 with American Ryann O’Toole.

Lexi Thompson, who surrendered a five-shot lead in the final round of last year in the event and lost by a stroke, was four shots back after an opening round 68. Fellow American Ally Ewing also shot 68.

“As far as last year, it’s over with, it’s this year,” Thompson said. “I took it, I learned from it, and I moved on.”

South Korea’s Jin Young Ko, the world’s top-ranked player and one of the most consistent ball-strikers in the tournament, shot a 69 — hitting 13 of 14 greens in regulation.

Cameron Young stays hot and shares early lead at Memorial

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Just being at the Memorial was a reminder how far Cameron Young has come in the last year. Being part of a six-way tie for the lead Thursday was another reminder how well he is playing.

In his first start since challenging at the PGA Championship, Young finished with two birdies over his last three holes for a 5-under 67 on rain-softened Muirfield Village.

Even with slightly softer greens, the 67 was the highest score to lead after the first round of the Memorial since 2004. And it was the second straight week on the PGA Tour of a big logjam at the top — eight were tied after one round at Colonial.

Joining Young were Luke List, Cameron Smith and K.H. Lee from the morning wave, and Mackenzie Hughes and Davis Riley each shot 67 in the afternoon.

Bryson DeChambeau, in his first tournament since the Masters because of surgery on his left hand, had a 76. Harris English made his first start since the Sony Open in January because of hip surgery. He opened with a 77.

A year ago, Young was coming off consecutive wins on the Korn Ferry Tour that moved him up some 300 spots in the world ranking to No. 170. Now he is at No. 30, with five top-three finishes in his rookie season, three times a runner-up.

The most recent was at Southern Hills, when Young was tied for the lead heading to the 14th tee in the final round of the PGA. His chances ended with a double bogey on the 16th.

And then he was right back at it at the Memorial, making a 15-foot eagle on the par-5 15th on his way to a 31 on his opening nine holes, overcoming a few bogeys on the front nine and capping off another solid day with a 30-foot birdie putt.

“I think we knew what was possible, but I think I’ve also gotten a lot better throughout this season,” Young said. “And having done well makes it a lot easier. If I was really fighting to keep my card for next year, I think it gets a lot harder. To have been around the lead and then finish high a few times, I think just that comfort level has gone up and I’ve been able to keep going.”

The greens were firm during practice and still rolled well, though players could take aim at flags because of enough rain and cloud cover. That took some adjusting. Muirfield Village was still tough enough that bogeys were easy to find.

List, who picked up his first win at Torrey Pines in January, had only one bogey in his 67. Smith was slowed by a few bogeys on the front nine after making the turn. Lee holed out from fairway on No. 9 for eagle, only to follow with back-to-back bogeys.

Will Zalatoris, who lost in the PGA Championship playoff to Justin Thomas, had eight birdies in his round of 68 and wasn’t sure what to make of his round.

“I did not think 68 with eight birdies was in the cards when I came out Monday, Tuesday,” Zalatoris said.

He figured out the difference quickly, a wedge on the 13th hole that landed near the flag and spun back 15 feet. Earlier in the week, he saw shots like that bound over the green into trouble.

What helped in any conditions was his putting. Zalatoris and 11 consecutive one-putt greens, one of those for bogey, until the streak ended when he missed a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fourth.

Defending champion Patrick Cantlay didn’t find nearly as many birdies as everyone else from the morning wave, just two birdies against two bogeys for an even-par 72. Collin Morikawa, who lost to Cantlay in the playoff at the Memorial last year, had two birdies for a 71.

Jon Rahm, who had a six-shot lead after 54 holes last year until having to withdraw because of a positive COVID-19 test, hit two balls in the water on the back nine and shot 72.

Young recalls meeting Jack Nicklaus, the tournament host, at Pebble Beach in 2019 for the U.S. Open when he qualified for his first major as an amateur. It was special for at least one of them.

“I’m sure he wouldn’t remember,” Young said. “He was walking at me and I said, ‘Hi, I’m Cameron.’ And he was very nice. Said hello and kind of moved on. But I was nobody. I just got out of college. So that’s really the only time I’ve been able to interact with him.”

Nicklaus is always by the 18th green on Sunday to shake hands with the winner. That would be memorable.