Hall of Famer Pak Se-ri shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 for a share of the first-round lead with fellow South Korean Lee Jee-young in the State Farm Classic on Thursday.
A five-time major winner, Pak is seeking her first top-10 finish in 10 starts this year. If she does, it’ll come against a field that features 49 of the US LPGA Tour’s top 50 money winners.
Kris Tamulis opened with a 67, and Natalie Gulbis, Suzann Pettersen and Anja Monke shot 68s at Panther Creek in the final tuneup for the McDonald’s LPGA Classic next week at Bulle Rock in Maryland.
PHOTO: AP
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng, Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer were in a large group at 69, and Michelle Wie shot a 70. Kraft Nabisco winner Brittany Lincicome was in danger of missing the cut after opening with a 75.
Pak, however, was on target.
Seeking her 25th tour win and first since the 2007 Jamie Farr Classic, she had six birdies — three on the final four holes — in tying her lowest round this year.
“Lately, my game’s been getting pretty settled down — getting closer and closer each week,” said Pak, who has finished no higher than 13th this year and is 44th on the money list.
With the season’s second major coming up next week, the timing is pretty good. Pak won the 2006 event at Bulle Rock, beating Karrie Webb in a playoff.
Pak began the day by hitting a sand wedge to 15 feet on par-5 first and completed her round with a flurry, birdying three of the final four holes.
She was at 3 under when she hit a good tee shot and drove a wedge to about 10 feet for the birdie on the par-4 15th and two-putted from 35 feet for birdie on the par-5 16th. She finished the round with a 7-iron to about 15 feet on 18.
Relatively unknown, Lee tied for 10th at the SBS Open at Turtle Bay in February and tied for ninth at the MasterCard Classic the following month. Now, she’s off to a good start at the State Farm — a bogey on the par-3 14th aside. She finished the day by knocking a 6-iron 6 feet from the cup for a birdie on No. 9.
Amy Hung of Taiwan was in a group at 71, compatriot Theresa Lu shot a 73 and Candie Kung was at 76.
■PGA MEMORIAL
AFP, DUBLIN, OHIO
England’s Luke Donald fired eight birdies in nine holes on his way to an eight-under par 64 and a three-stroke lead after the first round of the US$6 million PGA Memorial Tournament.
The 31-year-old Englishman began a run of six birdies in a row at the eighth hole and added two more at the 15th and 16th. He holed a 48-yard wedge shot at the second after opening with a bogey.
“I guess all good rounds start with a bogey,” Donald said.
Donald’s total of 20 putts set a one-round tournament record and was two strokes off the LPGA record on a layout known as being among the tour’s toughest. Three of the five low-putt round of his career have come here.
Donald sank a 15-footer at the par-3 eighth and followed with birdie putts from 10, 25, 12, six and eight feet. After salvaging a par at 14 despite finding water left off the tee, he birdied from inches and 20 feet.
“You start putting well, you start believing in yourself a little bit,” Donald said. “I think putting is very mental. Once you feel like you’re a good putter, it becomes easier.”
Winning the event hosted by golf legend Jack Nicklaus, whose 18 major titles remain the standard to beat, would be among the biggest moments in Donald’s career.
“Behind the majors, this is up there as one of the best tournaments we play all year. It would mean a lot to play well here and have a chance to win,” Donald said.
South African Thomas Aiken, Australian Jason Day and Americans Jim Furyk and Ted Purdy shared second on 67, one stroke ahead of the US trio of Stewart Cink, Mark Wilson and Steve Marino.
World No. 1 Tiger Woods, in his final tuneup before defending his US Open title later this month, was in a group on 69 that also included Canadian Mike Weir, Aussie Rod Pampling and New Zealand’s Reinier Saxton.
Woods is a three-time Memorial champion seeking his first title at Muirfield since 2001. He had five birdies at two bogeys but botched a chance to hit every fairway for only the fifth time as a pro, and first time since 2003, when he found a right bunker at 18 after his 3-wood tee shot bounced off a tree.
“I have seen it coming together for the last month or so. Unfortunately I would do it sporadically,” Woods said of his swing. “Today I did it all day. Everything felt good. My swing felt good. My putting stroke felt good.”
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely