Australian Karrie Webb shares a one-shot lead with Na Yeon Choi at six-under par after the first round of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. Webb sunk three birdies on her front nine and three on the way in to card a bogey-free 65 on Thursday and sit tied atop the leaderboard at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. There are two other Australians in the field, with Katherine Hull and Lindsey Wright both tied 24th at one under. Defending champion Choi, who won the tournament ahead of Taiwan&aposs Yani Tseng last year, matched Webb&aposs bogey-free effort with four birdies on the front nine and two more at 12 and 14. The pair lead ahead of a three-way tie for second, with Japan&aposs Mika Miyazato, Taiwan&aposs Min Lee and South Korean Sun Young Yoo all a single shot back at five under. Two more South Koreans, Hee-Won Han and Hee Young Park, are tied sixth at four under, followed by a group of seven player sharing eighth place. Among them are Japan&aposs Ai Miyazato, American Cristie Kerr, South Korean So Yeon Ryu and Scotland&aposs Catriona Matthew, who all opened with 68s. Several big names struggled in the opening round, with American Michelle Wie posting a four-over 75 and world number one Yani Tseng struggling to a seven-over 78. On an uncharacteristically poor day for the Taiwanese star, Tseng holed three birdies, four bogeys and three double bogeys, and must perform miracles on Friday to survive the halfway cut.
Author: Omnisport