Cristie Kerr shot a four-under 68 on Thursday for a share of the first-round lead with Stacy Lewis and Lee Seon-hwa in the LPGA Championship.
It’s still anybody’s event at the Locust Hill Country Club outside of Rochester as the tough conditions — including a persistent and gusting wind — created a logjam behind the leaders in the LPGA Tour’s second major of the season. Park In-bee, Mika Miyazato and Lindsey Wright were a stroke back.
Taiwan’s Teresa Lu was a further shot back after a two-under 70, while compatriot Amy Hung carded an even-par 72. Taiwan’s world No. 4 Yani Tseng struggled to a three-over 75, while Candie Kung was a shot further back after a 76.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Also, score one for Juli Inkster.
The 31-time LPGA Tour winner celebrated turning 50 with a 71. She was tied for 11th and 19 players were within three shots of the lead.
Paula Creamer, competing in only her second tournament since having surgery to repair ligament damage in her left thumb, was among those at one-under. Creamer struggled with her putting and played with her left thumb wrapped.
Kerr has plenty of incentive to win this weekend. Though she has 13 career victories, she’s only won one major — the 2007 US Women’s Open.
Then there’s the objective to climb into the race for top spot in the world rankings. She opened the week ranked fifth and with a victory has a chance to move firmly into contention after Ai Miyazato supplanted Shin Ji-yai in top spot last weekend.
Miyazato, who has won four tournaments this season, struggled on Thursday, finishing with a 76. Shin, meanwhile, shot a 72.
“This is what I wanted starting the first day,” Kerr said of being in contention. “You get kind of a taste of the blood in the water. It kind of motivates you and you look forward to getting up to play tomorrow.”
Starting on the 10th, Kerr opened with two birdies and then got to four-under after a birdie at 17, an easily reachable par-five. After a bogey on 18, she responded with a birdie on the second and then parred out. It wasn’t easy.
She saved par on her final hole — the par-three ninth — by two-putting on a tricky green.
Inkster, who was serenaded with Happy Birthday from the gallery at least four times on the course, rewarded her fans by getting to four-under through 12 to briefly take sole possession of the lead. Inkster, however, struggled by finishing with four bogeys — sandwiched between a par and a birdie — over the final six holes.
“It didn’t feel any different than it did yesterday,” Inkster said. “Maybe I’m trying to fool myself, I don’t know, but I feel like I’m in good shape.”
Tseng, who won the Kraft Nabisco, faltered down the stretch in her bid to win two straight majors. After getting to four-under through seven holes, the Taiwanese had five bogeys on her next seven holes — including four in a row — and finished at three-over.
Anna Nordqvist, the defending champion, opened with a 73.
Additional reporting by Staff Writer
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