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Stanford leads by three strokes after outstanding round

Angela Stanford of the US shot a career-best 10-under 62 to break the Prospector Course record and take a three-stroke lead over defending champion Lorena Ochoa after the first round of the Safeway International on Thursday.

Stanford, the 2003 ShopRite Classic winner, had a bogey-free round at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club. She had six birdies in a front-nine 30 and birdied the final two holes for a back-nine 32.

"It all happened so slowly," Stanford said. "I'm still in a fog. It's just one of those days you can't even get in your own way."

The 30-year-old American broke the course record of 63 set by Cristie Kerr in 2004, and topped her previous career best of 64 in the first round of the 2006 Canadian Open.

Ochoa, the Mexican star who won the tournament last year, had nine birdies and two bogeys. She won the HSBC Champions on March 2 in Singapore for her 18th US LPGA Tour title.

"I'm going to try to be aggressive and try to catch her. Maybe I can beat that," Ochoa said after congratulating Stanford on her round.

Sherri Steinhauer was third after a 66, Taiwan's Tseng Ya-ni, Karen Stupples, Jee Young Lee and Heather Young shot 67s, and Michele Redman, Sophie Gustafson and Na Yeon Choi followed at 68.

Three-time winner Annika Sorenstam birdied the final two holes to match Paula Creamer with a 69.

"I finished strong and got a little momentum," said Sorenstam, who shot the first 59 in women's tournament history in her 2001 victory at Moon Valley.

Stanford wasn't pleased with her 3-wood approach on the par-5 18th, but put it on the green from 236 yards to set up a two-putt birdie.

"Hook. Chunk. Duck. It was just bad," she said. "But I had enough topspin to make it to the green."

The American said she sensed a special round coming when she got up-and-down for par from a greenside bunker on No. 1.

Stanford's lone victory came 114 starts ago and her best finishes since came in 2006, when she was second twice.

"I'm not even going to think about it [winning]," Stanford said. "I want to, but I'm just not going to."
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