Masson Starts off Hot in North Texas Shootout


Germany's Caroline Masson fired a 7-under 64 to take the opening-round lead in the North Texas Shootout. The $1.3 million, 72-hole event - one of three new tournaments added to the 2013 schedule - started Thursday at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas.

Masson, a 23-year-old who played golf for a year of at Oklahoma State University before turning pro in late 2009, posted four birdies on the front nine and three more on the back to forge a two-stroke lead over Spain's Carlota Ciganda and three over Americans Mo Martin and Kristy McPherson, South Koreans M.J. Hur and Inbee Park, and England's Felicity Johnson.

Park, the No. 1-ranked player in women's golf and winner of the Kraft Nabisco Championship three weeks ago, had five birdies in her first 13 holes before posting a bogey on the par-4 14th and four straight pars coming home. Known as one of the best putters in golf, Park's work on the greens was off Thursday as she needed 30 putts.

Amateur Taylor Coleman, a 16-year-old sophomore at Johnson High School in San Antonio, made an impressive debut on a big stage. After joining Haley Mills of Fort Worth - an 18-year-old who attends the Jim McLean Junior Academy in Fort Worth - as the two players who qualified for the tournament in Monday's High School Shootout at Las Colinas, Coleman shot a 3-under 68 to share eighth with Christina Kim and South Korean Hee Young Park.

Angela Stanford, a 35-year-old native of Fort Worth, graduate of TCU and now a resident of Saginaw, Texas, opened with a 69 and is tied for 11th with fellow Americans Jessica Korda and Moira Dunn, South Korean Haeji Kang, Spain's Azahara Munoz and Taiwan's Yani Tseng.

Several players shot 70s, including Suzann Pettersen, winner of last week's Lotte Championship in Hawaii.

Other scores included even-par 71s by Michelle Wie, Lizette Salas and Lexi Thompson, 72s by Stacy Lewis and McKinney, Texas, native Brittany Lang. Paula Creamer, Mills and England's Laura Davies both opened with 73s on a cool day in Irving.

The "shootout" format consists of two cuts; the first will be made after the second round for the top-70 players and ties, with the second made for the top-50 after Saturday's third round.

For complete scoring details, visit http://www.lpgascoring.com/public/Leaderboard.