Pettersen one shot ahead of Ochoa
Source: Agencies |
April 3, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
NORWAY'S Suzann Pettersen moved into a one-stroke lead at the Kraft Nabisco Championship on Thursday, a month after withdrawing from an event in Australia because of a hip injury.
The world No. 4 recorded five birdies on the way to a five-under-par 67 in the opening women's major of the year.
The blonde Pettersen surged to the top of the leaderboard with a superb driving display on one of the LPGA Tour's longest courses, the 6,702-yard layout at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.
World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa of Mexico, winner here in 2008, narrowly missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a share of the lead and had to settle for a six-birdie 68.
Twice champion Karrie Webb of Australia carded a 69 to finish in a group of seven players, including South Koreans Min Na-on and Kim Song-hee, Britain's Becky Brewerton and Tseng Yani of Chinese Taipei.
"It was a very good, solid round of golf and I could not ask for a better start," Pettersen, 28, told reporters after covering her last nine holes in two-under 34.
"I had a few good bounces out there but I am feeling very good with my driver, which helps around this place. Plus I am making a few putts so it was very stress-free golf today."
A top-five finisher here for the last three years, the Norwegian was delighted to be back in competition following her withdrawal from last month's Australian Ladies Masters.
"I'm pain-free now so that's the most important thing," said Pettersen, who pulled out on the eve of the Ladies European Tour-sanctioned event due to pain in her left hip.
"It was a little flare on the bone. They thought it was bursitis because the symptoms were very, very similar. I got it checked out and they didn't really find much.
"I got a cortisone shot and that helped a little bit. It healed just in time to come here," added the Norwegian, who won her first major title at the 2007 LPGA Championship.
"Now I'm starting to feel really good about how my game is looking and feeling."
Although the final nine holes of Pettersen's round unfolded under blue skies in dazzling desert sunshine, she had teed off in surprisingly bleak conditions.
"It got really cold as we warmed up and I thought I was going to ski, the way I was dressed," she joked. "But once the sun came out it was beautiful and the wind stayed down.
"This course is in such very, very good shape so it's a pleasure to be out there."
Fan favorite Michelle Wie, who has posted three top-10s at this event, opened with a 71. The American played well from tee to green but had a poor day with the flat stick, finishing with a total of 33 putts.
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