Major winners Paula Creamer, of the United States, and Catriona Matthew, of Scotland, were among seven players sitting atop the leaderboard at 5-under-par 68 on Thursday after the first round of the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic at the Ocean Club Golf Course on Paradise Island.
Creamer, the 2010 U.S. Women's Open Champion, and Matthew, who won the 2009 RICOH Women's British Open, were joined by rookie Ashlan Ramsey, part-time college student Alison Lee, England's Charley Hull, and Mika Miyazato and Haru Nomura of Japan.
"I'll definitely take it," said Creamer, who shares the tournament record of 65 at the Ocean Club with Michelle Wie, both carded in the second round of the 2014 edition. "This golf course, it's a great track. It really does play well. The wind makes it very difficult, but these greens, they're challenging. The biggest thing is get it as close as you can from the fairways and see what you can do."
Jennifer Johnson and Min Seo Kwak were a stroke back at 69, while another eight players shot 3-under 70. Defending champion Sei Young Kim was among 15 players at 2-under 71 as the field bunched up at the top amid breezy conditions. Both Lee and Miyazato reached 6-under par but gave a stroke back late in their rounds. Lee's came at her final hole, the ninth, after missing the green long. Before that she sandwiched a 60-foot chip-in eagle at No. 7 between birdies at Nos. 6 and 8. Playing in the morning, Miyazato needed only 10 putts in her blitz of 6-under par over her first nine holes in calmer conditions, but didn't make another on her second nine.
"Yeah, very excited because if green in regulation, I make it, make it, make it," Miyazato said. "I'm always excited, first tournament of the year, this tournament -- always windy so I need to focus more on one shot at a time."
A student at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), carrying four classes this semester, Lee also was pleased about her start as she juggles school and sport.
"I'm really happy with how I played today, to be honest," said Lee, in her second pro season. "I had no idea I would play this well. After my round I just looked at Jason [Gilroy, her caddie] and kind of laughed like, 'Oh, my God, I shot 5-under, wow, that's great.' Honestly, I don't feel like I did enough to prepare."
Mo Martin recorded the first hole-in-one of the season on the LPGA Tour when she aced par-3 12th hole in a round of even-par 73. Martin used a 5-iron from 157 yards to sink her sixth career ace, second in competition.
"My last two have been in competition, so we're trending well," said the former Women's British Open Champion.
World No. 2 Inbee Park, the highest ranked player in the field and the reigning champion of the RICOH Women's British Open and the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, played her final four holes in 5-over par and carded an 80, her second worst score as a pro. It was a far cry from a year ago when Park opened with a 68 here in The Bahamas. She withdrew later in the day, citing a sore back.
No. 3 Stacy Lewis shot even-par 73 on the 6,625-yard layout. Past champions Ilhee Lee and Jessica Korda, carded 71 and 72, respectively. Christine Song, who shot a course-record 64 to win the Monday qualifier, had a 73. Brooke Pancake, the first-round leader a year ago and recipient of a sponsor exemption into this week's field, withdrew prior to the start of her round due to a rib injury. First alternate Bertine Strauss replaced her.
The tournament continues Friday with the second round beginning at 7:10 a.m. At the conclusion of round two, the field of 108 will be cut to the low 70 and ties. Golf Channel will provide live coverage 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. today.
Admission to the event is free for all spectators. For more tournament information, the public is asked to contact the tournament office at (242) 601-7351 or visit the event's website at www.puresilkbahamasclassic.com. Interested persons can also follow the tournament on social media, at www.facebook.com/PureSilkBahamasLPGA, www.instagram.com/BahamasLPGA, or www.twitter.com/PureSilkLPGA.
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