JANICE MOODIE 71, CATRIONA MATTHEW 74 IN ROUND 1

HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup 2010
Itanhanga Golf Club
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The second-annual HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup 2010 is off-and-running with Sweden’s Maria Hjorth leading the pack after 18 holes of play with a five-under-par round of 68.
Hjorth, who was 2-over-par through three holes this morning, rebounded with seven birdies from holes four to 12 to take a share off the lead in the early afternoon. She holds a one-shot advantage over Meaghan Francella and Mariajo Uribe, both on 69.
Uribe, a rookie of the 2010 LPGA Tour, hails from Colombia and earned a sponsor’s exemption into the HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup 2010. The 2007 U.S. Amateur champ, she is looking for his first professional victory this weekend.
Meaghan Francella aced the par-3 10th hole with a 6-iron from 161 yards to help propel her to the top of the leaderboard during the first round of the HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup 2010. Francella, a fourth-year Tour member, is tied for second with Mariajo Uribe with 18 holes remaining at Itanhanga Golf Club in Rio de Janeiro. Francella’s only other ace came in a collegiate event at Bryan Park in Greensboro, North Carolina with the same 6-iron she used today.
Glasgow-born Janice Moodie had a two-under-par 71.
A three-over-par 76 was not exactly what Sao Paulo native Angela Park hoped for in the first round of the HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup 2010, but she is not discouraged.
“It was tough,” said Park. “Golf is always tough. There’s always tomorrow. I’ll work on a couple things on the range tonight and tomorrow will be a better day. It’s a great blessing (to be treated so well by the fans in Brazil). I’m so grateful for it.”
Park finished third at the inaugural event last season and currently sits tied for 19th entering Sunday’s final round.
Defending champion Catriona Matthew is tied for 13th at one-over-par 74… Maria Laura Elvira, a member of the Duramed FUTURES Tour, is tied for 19th at 3-over-par 76… Several players are visiting the famous Christ the Redeemer statue, which overlooks Rio de Janiero, tonight
FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 73
M.Hjorth.SWE 68
M.Francella.USA 69 
M.Uribe.COL 69 
I.Chung.SKO 71 -
C.Kung 71 -
B.Lang.USA 71
J.Moodie.SCO 71
H.Y.Park.SKO 71
V.Hurst.USA 72
K.Icher.FRA 72
K.McPherson.USA 73
S.Prammanasudh.USA 73
M.Hur.SKOR 74
E-H.Ji.SKOR 74
B.Bader.USA 74
C.Matthew.SCO 74
M.Biase BRA (am) 75
E.Yi.KOR 75
M.L.Elvira.ARG 76
A.Park.BRA 76
M.Silva.CH (am) 76
A.Stanford.USA 76
M.P.Iida.BRA 76
S.Lewis.USA 77
A.Fouch.USA 78
P.Mackenzie.USA 78
J.Granada.PAR 80