Australian golfers held by English rally

A stunning English comeback has left Australia winless on the opening day of the biennial International Crown golf tournament in South Korea.

Australia

Australia have endured a tough start to the International Crown golf tournament in South Korea. (AAP)

A late English surge has placed Australia unexpectedly on the back foot after day one of the International Crown golf tournament in South Korea.

Charley Hull and Georgia Hall conjured up a devastating late rally - including a chip-in eagle and a closing hole birdie - to halve their match against Minjee Lee and Sarah Jane Smith.

The comeback encapsulated a subdued afternoon for the Australians at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon - Katherine Kirk and Su Oh were also beaten to leave the quartet off the pace in pool A on Thursday.

Hot favourites South Korea eventually wore down Chinese Taipei in both their clashes to command the group.

Lee and Smith had appeared on track for victory, but were left to marvel at their opponents accuracy down the stretch.

Australia were three-up through 13 but the complexion of the match changed when reigning British Open champion Hall chipped in for eagle on the par-four 14th.

Hull also upped the ante late with pressure putting drawing the English level before they completed their resurgence on the last.

"I think we played really well, it definitely feels like a loss," Smith told Golf Australia.

"We both felt like we were in pretty good control of the match, so to come away with a square doesn't feel like a win."

In the second match, Bronte Law and Jodi Ewart Shadoff coasted to a comfortable four and three triumph over Kirk and Oh.

Korea leads Pool A with four points, one clear of England; Australia and Chinese Taipei had to settle for a solitary point.

In Pool B, Thailand holds top spot with three points after a win and half against Japan.

The United States and Sweden had a win each in their contest to sit joint second on two points.

The matches continue on Friday, while the final is scheduled for Sunday.


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Source: AAP


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