Sophie Gustafson of Sweden fired a seven-
under-par 65 on Thursday to take the first-round lead of the CVS/pharmacy LPGA
Challenge.
Na Ri Kim, Angela Stanford and Sophia Sheridan each posted five-under 67s in
round one and share second place at Blackhawk Country Club.
Gustafson began on the 10th tee Thursday and promptly birdied her second hole.
She dropped a shot at No. 14, but immediately atoned for the error with a
birdie at 15.
The Swede birdied the 17th, then knocked her approach to tap-in range at the
closing hole. Gustafson kicked in the birdie putt and moved to three-under for
the championship.
Gustafson parred her first two on the second nine and made birdie at three.
She rattled off back-to-back birdies from the fifth to get to minus-six and
birdied No. 8 to get to seven-under par.
Gustafson parred her last for her 65 and share of first.
World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa, Karrie Webb, Shanshan Feng, Kyeong Bae and Mikaela
Parmlid are knotted in fifth place at four-under 68.
Suzann Pettersen, Jennifer Rosales, Kim Welch, Yani Tseng, Karine Icher, Anna
Grzebien, Maria Hjorth, Helen Alfredsson, Beth Bader and Joo Mi Kim share 10th
at minus-three.
Jiyai Shin, the tour's leading money winner, managed an even-par 72 and is
tied for 46th.
Defending champion In-Kyung Kim carded a one-over 73 and is knotted in 64th.
Casie Cathres, a 13-year-old amateur, aced the par-three 12th hole on
Thursday. She finished at two-over-par 74 and is part of a large group tied
for 79th place.
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