Guadalajara, November 13: South Korea’s Song-Hee Kim carded a seven-under 65 on Thursday to seize a two-shot lead in the LPGA’s Lorena Ochoa Invitational.
Kim nabbed six birdies in her first 10 holes at Guadalajara Country Club, and also birdied the last hole as she built a two-stroke cushion over Player of the Year contender Jiyai Shin, american Paula Creamer and Colombia’s Maria Jose Uribe.
World number one and tournament host Ochoa was six adrift.
Kim, seeking her first victory in three seasons on the LPGA Tour, is trying to become the ninth South Korean to win this year.
Shin, a three-time winner this season and the money leader, has already secured Rookie of the Year honors and came into the tournament with a four-point lead over Ochoa in the Player of the Year race.
Ochoa carded a 71, making three birdies and two bogeys on her home course.
“I have no excuses,” said Ochoa, who also has three wins this season but hasn’t displayed the blazing form that saw her win 21 titles over the previous three years.
“I played good today. I wasn’t nervous. I controlled my game, but I couldn’t get used to the green speeds. Hopefully, I won’t make the same mistakes tomorrow.”
Britain’s Catriona Matthew and Korean Eun-Hee Ji opened with 68s, Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lincicome and Brittany Lang had 69s, and Michelle Wie, Katherine Hull and M.J. Hur shot 70s.
Japan’s Ai Miyazato, second on the money list, also carded a 71.
Kim has 10 top-10s this season, including a fifth-place finish two weeks ago in South Korea at the Hana Bank KOLON Championship.
“I have had a lot of chances this year,” Kim said. “I think I didn’t have luck and that is why I lost the wins. If I play well this week, I think I can win.”
Her 12-foot birdie putt at 18 was a big boost.
“That one I was thinking if I make this I can get more confident,” she said. “That was really important to me.”
If Shin can win this week, she could secure Player of the Year honors – if Ochoa finishes eighth or worse.
Nancy Lopez in 1978 is the only player to win both the rookie and player of the year awards in the same season.
Shin birdied four of the first six holes, and kept her sometimes wayward driver on track.
“The last couple of weeks, my driver … is a little scary because sometimes it’s a little too far left,” she said. “But today no mistakes with the driver. I’m really happy to hit driver today, so my confidence is good. So I just want to just carry this feeling.”
Creamer, who won four times last season, is without a victory in 2009.
After battling stomach troubles this season, the American said she was travelling with 40 pounds of her own food.
“A win here would be huge,” Creamer said. “It would be considering – I don’t like to dwell on the year – what I’ve had to go through. It would be nice.”
—IST