Published>Fri, Jun 25 10 08:25 AM
Lee Seon-hwa of South Korea and Americans Cristie Kerr and Stacy Lewis shared the lead after the first round of the LPGA Championship after firing four-under-par 68s at Locust Hill on Thursday.
On an ever-shifting day of gusty winds, grey skies, sunshine and pouring rain, top-ranked American Kerr joined the others by recording four birdies on her first eight holes after starting at the 10th.
"It's definitely where I want to be," said Kerr, who won the LPGA Tour stop in Illinois two weeks ago. "I'm very comfortable being in the lead. You get kind of a taste of the blood in the water. It motivates you."
Lee holed out a bunker shot for birdie at the last, one group after Lewis rolled in an eight-foot birdie on the same par-three to jump into the lead.
Both Lewis and Lee also began their rounds on the 10th tee for the year's second women's major, and they each shared the distinction of making eagles from the fairways on the tight parkland layout.
Lewis holed out at the par-five 11th from 86 yards with a wedge, while Lee found the hole with her eight-iron from 127 yards at the par-four 12th.
"When I practiced on the driving range it was totally nice weather, nice and sunny," said Lee. "When I hit my first tee shot, the wind was blowing hard, like 20 miles per hour and it was windy all day long. It was really hard to play."
There was also a brief delay in the middle of the round due to hard rain that left some water on the greens before the sun came out again later in the afternoon.
Newly crowned world number one Ai Miyazato of Japan had trouble finding the fairways as she slumped to a four-over 76, and Anna Nordqvist of Sweden, last year's winner, shot a 73.
One stroke behind the leaders were Park In-bee of South Korea, the 2008 U.S. Women's Open champion, and Japan's Mika Miyazato, no relation to the world number one.
Park's 69 also included an eagle and some confounding putting.
"I missed three- and four-footers and made 30- and 40-footers," said Park, who had four bogeys, five birdies and sank an eagle putt of 15 feet at the par-five 17th.
One of the most rousing rounds was posted by American Julie Inkster, who reached four under par through 12 holes on her 50th birthday before slipping to a one-under 71.
"It's pretty amazing what she is able to do," Lewis, 25, said of seven-times major winner Inkster. "She doesn't act like she's 50 years old. She acts like she is one of us."
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