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Lincicome races to early lead at first LPGA major

Source: Agencies | April 4, 2009, Saturday | Print Edition

BRITTANY Lincicome shot a 6-under 66 to lead in Thursday's opening round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship in Rancho Mirage, California, the first women's golf major of the season.

Pushed along by playing partner Ji Young-oh in a round she likened to match play, Lincicome hit 16 greens in regulation. Oh hit 14 greens and was tied for second at 67 with Angela Stanford and Brittany Lang.

Lincicome, whose best finish in a major was a tie for second here two years ago, was thinking that something around par would have made for a good day.

"If you would have told me that this morning I would have taken it and ran," she said about her 66. "It was surreal, really.

"Obviously it's a major, so it's going to be playing long. The rough is going to be thick. Even par or 1 or 2 under I would have been completely satisfied."

While Lincicome and Oh fought it out, defending champion Lorena Ochoa got off to an uncharacteristically poor start with a 1-over 73. Three years ago, Ochoa opened with a 62 at Mission Hills to tie a major championship record.

The top-ranked Mexican star started on the 10th tee and was 2 under at the turn before carding three bogeys and no birdies on the front nine.

Save par

"I got in trouble from the tee," said Ochoa, who had to save par after pushing her first drive of the morning to the left. "When you're playing in a major championship, I'm not so good in the morning. I think it was a good way to start a couple under. And then I'm pretty upset that I didn't take advantage of that."

Ochoa hit only four fairways. But she was still impressed with the low scores.

"I think it's really good golf with the pin placement we had today, and I am surprised," she said. "I think 3, 4 under is good, but I saw the 6s and that's very impressive."

Lincicome and Oh started on No. 10. Lincicome birdied Nos. 10, 11, 15 and 18, while Oh birdied 11, 14 and 18. Remarkably, they each went birdie-birdie-bogey-birdie-birdie after making the turn.

"It was like match play, nine holes straight," Lincicome said. "She would make a 30-footer for birdie and I would top it. I would make one and she would come on top of mine. So it was really just a fun day."

Stanford eagled the par-5 18th by hitting a 7-wood to 20 feet. Kristy McPherson shot a 68. Tied for sixth at 69 were Lee Ji-hee, Kim Song-hee, Yani Tseng, Christina Kim, Katherine Hull and Lee Jee-young.
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