Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa birdied two of the final three holes for a
4-under 68 and a share of the first-round lead Thursday on a hot,
windy day at the HSBC Champions.
Cristie Kerr, Angela Stanford and Hee Young Park also shot
68s. Kerr birdied five of the last six holes on Tanah Merah's
Garden Course, Stanford had a bogey-free round, and Park overcame
three bogeys with seven birdies.
"I'm really happy with four under," Ochoa said. "I left some
out there, but hopefully I'll get them tomorrow."
Ochoa won the 2008 tournament by 11 strokes, finishing at
20-under 268.
Ai Miyazato, the winner Sunday in the season-opening LPGA
Thailand, was a stroke back along with Sophie Gustafson, Christina
Kim and Song-Hee Kim.
Juli Inkster, Karrie Webb and Suzann Pettersen shot 70s,
while defending champion Jiyai Shin opened with a 71, and Michelle
Wie had a 72.
Several players said the swirling wind made play more
difficult in the afternoon.
"When we started it was blowing one direction and as it
picked up it started to change direction," Stanford said. "It was a
little tricky coming down the stretch today."
Kerr got off to a rough start, with bogeys on two of the
first three holes, but she finished with birdies on five of the
last six.
