Tyler Wright chasing fourth win on World Surf League tour as big names struggle at US Open

TYLER Wright has the chance to become the first Australian female surfer in six seasons to win four events on the world tour if she can extend her red-hot form at the US Open.

Tyler Wright after winning her second event of the year at Margaret River in April.

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WORLD title contender Tyler Wright has the chance to become the first Australian female surfer in six seasons to win four events on the world tour if she can extend her red-hot form at the US Open of surfing.

Wright was the sole Australian to notch a round one heat win in the women’s World Surf League event at the high performance wave at Huntington Beach.

The opening round produced a string of upsets with fellow Australians Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons sent into the elimination round along with world champion Carissa Moore and world No. 1 Courtney Conlogue.

But Wright managed to edge Phillip Island surfer Nikki van Dijk for direct entry into the third round of competition.

If her good form continues and she racks up her fourth event win of the year in the US, Wright will overtake Conlogue on the world rankings.

Tyler Wright after winning the Oi Rio Pro with runner-up Sally Fitzgibbons.

She would also match the feat of Gilmore in winning four events in the one season — something the multiple Australian world champion did in 2010 en-route to claiming the fourth of her six world crowns.

Wright said she knows how to excel at Huntington but needs to put it into practice to win.

“Huntington is pretty simple. You just have to get yourself in the right spots for those opportunities when they come through and make the most of them,” she said.

Sage Erickson was a standout on day one of the US Open.

Australians Van Dijk, Keeley Andrew and Laura Enever will join Gilmore and Fitzgibbons surfing for survival in round two when competition resumes.

In a major show of force, American surfers dominated at home with the likes of multiple world champion Coco Ho, Saige Erickson, Malia Manuel, Lakey Petersen and Tatiana Weston-Webb winning through to round three.