MIKA LEADS RAIN-SHORTENED EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

NEWS RELEASE FROM LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR

Report by Bethan Cutler, LET Media Manager

Rain forced the first round of the inaugural Evian Championship to be delayed by a day but the sun was shining brightly on the redesigned Evian Resort Golf Club on Friday as Japan’s Mika Miyazato grabbed a one stroke lead.

Miyazato is in the hunt for her first major championship following a 6-under-par 65. She leads by one shot over Norway’s Suzann Pettersen, Germany’s Sandra Gal and South Korean Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak, all on 5-under-par 66.

Pettersen was six-under-par through 17 holes and in the perfect position to take advantage but three putted on the par-4 18^th to drop into a tie for second.

At the end of the first round, tournament officials released the following statement: ‘Based on the current weather forecast models for the next 72 hours, tournament officials will target the completion of 54 holes with a 36-hole cut to top-70 and ties at the 2013 Evian Championship.’

There was one other time when a major championship was reduced to 54 holes: at the 1996 LPGA Championship at DuPont Country Club in Delaware, won by Britain’s Laura Davies.

A full day of golf is expected for Saturday, with rain forecast late in the day and likely to continue into Sunday morning.

Miyazato took advantage of the near perfect weather on Friday, with several LET members making an impact. They included Christina Kim (-4), Lindsey Wright (-3), Beatriz Recari (-2), Lee-Anne Pace (-2), Azahara Munoz (-1) and Caroline Masson (-1).

Meanwhile, LET members Marianne Skarpnord, Helen Alfredsson, Sophie Gustafson and Holly Clyburn all had solid opening rounds of level par.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 71

65 - Mika Miyazato (JPN)

66 - Suzann Pettersen (NOR) , Se Ri Pak (KOR) , Sandra Gal (GER)

67 - Christina Kim (USA)

68 - Lydia Ko (NZL) , Lindsey Wright (AUS) , Karrie Webb (AUS) , Michelle Wie (USA)

69 - Ayako Uehara (JPN) , Hee-Won Han (KOR) , Ji Young Oh (KOR) , Angela Stanford (USA) , Lee-Anne Pace (RSA) , Na Yeon Choi (KOR) , Danah Bordner (USA) , Stacy Lewis (USA) , Beatriz Recari (ESP) , I.K. Kim (KOR)

70 - Shanshan Feng (CHN) , Morgan Pressel (USA) , Azahara Munoz (ESP) , Il Hee Lee (KOR) , Jennifer Johnson (USA) , Caroline Masson (GER) , Lisa Mccloskey (USA) , Paula Creamer (USA) , Mariajo Uribe (COL) , Momoko Ueda (JPN) , Chella Choi (KOR) , Hee-Kyung Seo (KOR) , Lizette Salas (USA)

71 - Katherine Hull-kirk (AUS) , Austin Ernst (USA) , Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) , Sydnee Michaels (USA) , Vicky Hurst (USA) , Helen Alfredsson (SWE) , Holly Clyburn (ENG) , So Yeon Ryu (KOR) , Mi Jung Hur (KOR) , Meena Lee (KOR) , Mina Harigae (USA) , Jenny Shin (KOR) , Sophie Gustafson (SWE)

72 - Pernilla Lindberg (SWE) , Heather Bowie Young (USA) , Amy Yang (KOR) , Pornanong Phatlum (THA) , Lexi Thompson (USA) , Hee Young Park (KOR) , Haeji Kang (KOR) , Eun Hee Ji (KOR) , Sarah-Jane Smith (AUS) , Danielle Kang (USA) , Gerina Piller (USA)

73 - Giulia Sergas (ITA) , Paolo Moreno (COL) , Julieta Granada (PAR) , Cindy Lacrosse (USA) , Jiyai Shin (KOR) , Sarah Kemp (AUS) , Catriona Matthew (SCO) , Mo Martin (USA) , Alison Walshe (USA) , Mi Hyang Lee (KOR) , Kathlyn Ekey (USA) , Kris Tamulis (USA) , Karine Icher (FRA) , Candie Kung (TPE)

74 - Katie Futcher (USA) , Juli Inkster (USA) , Kristy Mcpherson (USA) , Anna Nordqvist (SWE) , Laura Davies (ENG) , Christel Boeljon (NED) , Jeong Jang (KOR) , Gwladys Nocera (FRA) , Charley Hull (ENG) , Brittany Lang (USA) , Inbee Park (KOR) , Dori Carter (USA) , Caroline Hedwall (SWE) , Moira Dunn (USA)

75 - Mindy Kim (KOR) , Brittany Lincicome (USA) , Yani Tseng (TPE) , Jane Park (USA) , Rebecca Lee-bentham (CAN) , Irene Cho (USA) , Sun Young Yoo (KOR) , Natalie Gulbis (USA) , Ai Miyazato (JPN) , Belen Mozo (ESP) , Jacqui Concolino (USA) , Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER) , Amanda Blumenherst (USA) , Dewi Claire Schreefel (NED) , Paige Mackenzie (USA) , Jessica Korda (USA)

76 - Thidapa Suwannapura (THA) , Cristie Kerr (USA) , Katie Burnett (USA) , Becky Morgan (WAL) , Jennifer Rosales (PHL) , Jennifer Song (USA) , Joanna Klatten (FRA)

77 - Moriya Jutanugarn (THA) , Brooke Pancake (USA) , Amelia Lewis (USA) , Xi Yu Lin (CHN) , Jodi Ewart Shadoff (ENG)

78 - Jee Young Lee (KOR) , Ryann O Toole (USA) , Carlota Ciganda (ESP) , Sandra Changkija (USA)

79 - Laura Diaz (USA)

80 - Rebecca Artis (AUS) , Melissa Reid (ENG) , Cheyenne Woods (USA)