NORWEGIAN'S 66 FIRST-ROUND BEST IN HONDA LPGA THAILAND

ANNA NORDQVIST CLICKETY-CLICKS TO

LEAD BY ONE FROM MICHELLE WIE
 
FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE
Sweden's Anna Nordqvist shot 6-under 66 today to take the first-round lead at the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament at Siam Country Club, Pattaya Old Course in Chonburi. 

Anna, pictured, world-ranked No 27, carded seven birdies, two bogeys and an eagle and leads Michelle Wie (67) by one shot. 
Three Americans are in a tie for third at 4-under par including Lexi Thompson, Angela Stanford and Jennifer Johnson.
Nordqvist, whose two LPGA Tour wins came back in her rookie season: 2009, got off to a quick start with three consecutive birdies and said it put her in a good mindset for the rest of the round.
“I always try to put my best foot forward,” said Nordqvist. “I try to be awake when I start on the first tee box. I hit it on the green in two, so it was a pretty easy birdie. But definitely getting a good start sets the pace for the rest of the day.”
Nordqvist was 5-under through 12 holes but picked up back-to-back bogeys after sailing shots over both the 13th and 14th greens.
“I just tried to stay in there after the two bogeys, because I didn't feel like I hit bad shots,” said Nordqvist. “I just got flyers out of the rough.”
The 26-year old bounced back with an eagle on the par 4 15th hole and had a short putt for birdie on No. 17 to go to 6-under.
“Had pretty good yardage (for the eagle) and it was on the top tier, so I just pitched it five or six paces behind the pin and spun back,” said Nordqvist. “So obviously gave me some momentum to finish off.”
Michelle Wie said the set up at the Old Course Pattaya suits the long hitters and said she’s glad to be able to bring out her driver on the majority of holes.
“Almost all of them,” said Wie. “It's definitely one of those golf courses. I don't get to use a lot of drivers during the year. This is one of the few golf courses that I get to just hit driver all the time. So it's fun”
The American had six birdies and a bogey to open up her week and said besides birdieing all four par 5’s, a mid-round snack after the turn may have been the key to her round.
“I birdied all four of the par 5s today, which definitely helps on this golf course,” said Wie. “After 18 I was hungry, so I went to the locker room and got some food from my bag, so I think that helped. Just had like these nuts, like these little nut crunch things. I was thinking about them on the front nine. I was really mad I didn't put them in my golf bag. So I ran up to the locker room and ran back down. Pretty sure that had something to do with the birdie”.
Rolex Rankings No. 1 Inbee Park got off to a rocky start to her 2014 season and was 3-over par through her first eight holes 
The South Korean said she definitely felt rusty coming off the off-season break but turned things around on the back nine. Park would pick up four birdies to finish 1-under par and sits five shots off the lead.
“I think it was just like I didn't have much feeling that it was a tournament because it has been a while since I played a golf tournament,” said Park. “I think I was a little bit nervous. “Bogey, bogey, and, thought ‘yeah, it's a tournament, so I think I should start playing better.’ I think I just didn't realize. I think it was a little bit off today on the front nine, and then I finally realized I was in a real tournament.”
No. 2 Suzann Pettersen fared the best of the marque group on Thursday with a 3-under 69. She sits in a tie for sixth and three shots back. No. 3 Stacy Lewis will be paired with Park again for the second-round after posting a 1-under 71.
SCOTSWATCH: Carly Booth put in a strong finish for a par-matching 72 to be sharing 25th place. She bogeyed the fifth, birdied the sixth and then had a double bogey 6 at the ninth to turn in 38.
The Comrie player covered the inward half in two-under 34 with seven pars and birdies at the 15th and 17th.
Catriona Matthew, who missed the cut in the Australian Women's Open, has carried over that disappointing form to Thailand. A four-over 76 leaves her in joint 59th place in a field of 70 players.
The North Berwick former Ricoh Women's British Open champion started well enough with a birdie but then sagged to bogeys at the second, third and seventh before she got a 2 at the short eighth and turned in 37.
Not much cheer for Catriona on the inward nine. She did not get another birdie and bogeyed the 15th, 17th and long 18th for 39 home.

FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 72
66 Anna Nordqvist (Nor)
67 Michelle Wie (USA)
68 Jennifer Johnson (USA), Angela Stanford (USA), Lexi Thompson (USA)
69 Sandra Gall (Ger), Caroline Hedwall (Swe), Suzann Pettersen (Nor), Su Yeon Ryu (SKor).

SELECTED SCORES
72 Carly Booth (Sco), Carlota Ciganda (Spa), Lydia Ko (NZ), Yani Tseng (Tai), Caroline Masson (Ger), Se Ri Pak (SKor) (T25)
74 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (Eng) (T40)
76 Catriona Matthew (Sco) (T59)
 
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