Angela Park, winless on the LPGA Tour, shot a 6-under par 66 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Safeway Classic at tree-lined Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Ore.
Park, the 2007 LPGA Rookie of the Year, shot a bogey-free round on the 6,397-yard, par-72 course.
Kelli Kuehne was in a group of six tied for second at 67 with Hee Young Park, Song-Hee Kim, Sophie Gustafson, Helen Alfredsson and Karen Stupples. Stephanie Louden, Liz Janangelo, Becky Morgan, Katie Futcher and Hee-Won Han were two strokes behind.
Angela Park started quickly, carding birdies on four of her first seven holes on the way to a 4-under 32 on the front nine. She moved to 6 under at 13, and made pars the rest of the way.
Defending Safeway champion Lorena Ochoa was three shots back at 69.
Among those joining Ochoa were Paula Creamer, Laura Diaz and Leta Lindley. Ochoa, the season’s earnings leader with $2,337,206, birdied the final three holes to put herself into contention.
Ochoa capped her round by sinking a 50-foot birdie putt at 18. U.S. Women’s Open champion Inbee Park and Karrie Webb were among those to shoot 70. Katherine Hull, who won the Canadian Women’s Open on Sunday, shot a 71.
Annika Sorenstam, a two-time Safeway Classic winner, birdied her final hole to shoot 72.
U.S. Amateur
University of Georgia teammates Adam Mitchell and Patrick Reed advanced to the U.S. Amateur semifinals Friday in Pinehurst, N.C., keeping alive the possibility of an all-Bulldog championship round.
Mitchell rallied to defeat Charlie Holland 2 and 1 in one quarterfinal, and Patrick Reed defeated Graham Hill 4 and 3 to reach today’s semifinal matchup against perhaps the field’s hottest player: fellow 18-year-old Danny Lee.
Lee, who hasn’t needed more than 15 holes to win any of his four match-play rounds, beat Morgan Hoffmann 4 and 3.
Mitchell faces Florida State’s Drew Kittleson, who defeated former Louisville player Derek Fathauer 3 and 2.
The semifinal winners will square off in a 36-hole final on Sunday at Pinehurst’s renowned No. 2 course, which is playing at par 70.
KLM Open
Darren Clarke shot a 6-under 64 to join Robert Rock and Alexander Noren in the lead after the second round of the KLM Open in Zandvoort, Netherlands.
Clarke moved to 8-under 132. Noren, seeking his first title of the season, shot a second straight 66. Rock had a 64, making four birdies in five holes from the 11th.
Clarke’s lowest European Tour round since 1999 put him in contention for a Ryder Cup wild card on Nick Faldo’s team.
Henrik Stenson (65), who has already secured a spot on the Ryder Cup team, and Englishman Ross McGowan (64) were tied for fourth, one shot behind the leaders.
Justin Rose, who is seeking one of the last three automatic spots on Faldo’s team, was tied for 14th after a 69. Overnight leader Rolf Muntz (72) was also in a group tied at 14th.
Associated Press
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