Australian Lindsey Wright has opened the McDonald&aposs LPGA Championship in strong form with a five-under-par 67 in Maryland. Wright tamed the Bulle Rock Golf Course with an impressive opening to the major and sits just one shot off the leading pair of Lorie Kane and Emily Bastel. Canada&aposs Kane turned the clock back with a six-under-par 66 to earn a share of the first-round lead with American Bastel. Wright is outright second ahead of a group of five in fourth place which included Wright&aposs fellow Australian Rachel Hetherington. Karen Stupples, with a solid two-birdie round, was the leading British player on one-under-par. World No.1 Lorena Ochoa, seeking a third successive major, hit a 69, while Annika Sorenstam began her bid for a fourth title with a two-under 70. For 43-year-old Kane, the round of six birdies was a return to the form she enjoyed around the turn of the century when she was a regular on leaderboards and won four titles. She said: “This season, I felt I almost started like a rookie.” “I was nervous just trying to make cuts. But I&aposm not here to make cuts; I&aposm here to win tournaments – and decided to go out and play and try and forget everything else.” The highlight of Kane&aposs round was a chip in from 50 yards for a three at the par-four 13th. Mexico&aposs Ochoa, a six-time winner this year, slipped up with a double-bogey at the 13th but hit back with a handful of birdies. First Round Scores from the McDonald&aposs LPGA Championship -6: Emily Bastel 66, Lorie Kane 66 -5: Lindsey Wright 67 -4: Marisa Baena 68, Jin Joo Hong 68, Maria Hjorth 68, Nicole Castrale 68, Rachel Hetherington 68 -3: Kelli Kuehne 69, Soo-Yun Kang 69, H.J. Choi 69, Young Kim 69, Hee-Won Han 69, Lorena Ochoa 69, Inbee Park 69, Ji Young Oh 69 -2: Spohie Giquel 70, Su A Kim 70, Jamie Hullett 70, Eunjung Yi 70