Karen Stupples, back at full strength after giving birth to her son last year, seized the first-round lead on Thursday at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first women’s major of the year.
England’s Stupples went out early and fired a 67, setting a target that no one could match at Mission Hills Country Club.
Her flawless five-under effort included five birdies, three of them in her first five holes.
PHOTO: AP
Stupples had a one-stroke lead over world No.1 Lorena Ochoa and Japan’s Ai Miyazato, with Heather Young and Natalie Gulbis another shot off the pace.
South Korean Kim Mi-hyun headed a group four players on 70, which also included Swedes Maria Hjorth and Liselotte Neumann, and Colombian Maria Jose Uribe.
Stupples said it was good to feel that she was playing at full strength, something she hadn’t felt until recently after giving birth to her son, Logan, last April.
“I would say up until about a month ago, I hadn’t really regained my full strength,” Stupples said. “All of a sudden, it came back almost overnight and that was really good to see, that I was able to get through the ball.”
Stupples nabbed her first birdie of the day at the par-five second. She had back-to-back birdies at four and five, and added two more birdies on the back nine.
“I really started to hit the ball pretty good, hit some shots early and got my confidence for the rest of the round,” Stupples said. “I hit some really good shots.”
Ochoa, who has won two of her previous three tournaments this year was well poised to pounce with three rounds remaining.
Starting on the back nine, she notched four straight birdies around the turn. A late bogey at the eighth, where she three-putted denied her a share of the lead.
“It was a good day and a good start,” the Mexican star said.
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