Munoz & Ernst Ahead in Kingsmill Championship


Spain's Azahara Munoz and former LSU All-American Austin Ernst of South Carolina recorded 6-under 65s to share the first-round lead in the Kingsmill Championship. The $1.3 million, 72-hole LPGA Tour event got underway Thursday on the River Course at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va.

Munoz, who has one LPGA victory - the 2012 Sybase Match Play Championship, enjoyed a spotless scorecard that listed six birdies, four of which came on the front nine. "I've been playing pretty well this year," noted the Malaga native.

"Normally my long game is pretty good and my short game is the one that is a little, you know when I do it good I play I good; when I don't, then I play bad. This year it's been so much better. I've been having a much better attitude, so it's easier."

Munoz said her thinking process is a little clearer, thanks to some time away from competition. "When I miss a shot, I don't let it get to me so much like I used to. I used to get pretty upset, and that really hurt me. It's been really nice to have a week off.

"I was seven weeks on the road, so the last couple tournaments I was really struggling. I was tired. You always get to your bad habits. So it was nice to have a week at home and practice and get back to it."

Ernst - in her second LPGA season - posted five birdies, an eagle on the par-5 third, and a bogey. "It was just solid really," said the 22-year-old. "You know, it could have probably been a couple (strokes) lower. Really only time I even made a bogey or was is trouble of making a bogey was when I missed the fairway.

"Missed, I think, three fairways. Really just solid. Gave myself a lot of looks, hit a lot of greens, and made it really easy on myself out there on a day when it was pretty windy and it could kind of get away from you a little bit."

Alone in third after a 66 is South Korea's Hee Young Park, while tied for fourth following 67s are Thailand's Thidapa Swannapura and Americans Brittany Lang, Cristie Kerr, Kathleen Ekey, Danielle Kang, Lizette Salas and Lexi Thompson.

Kerr, the defending champion, is a three-time winner at Kingsmill.

After taking a month-long break following her first major title in the Kraft Nabisco Championship in early April, Thompson made her return in the North Texas LPGA Shootout two weeks ago (the LPGA was idle last week).

The 19-year-old is pleased with the state of her game. "I definitely feel really well about my game right now," Thompson said. "I've worked extremely hard in my off season, especially on my short game. I put a lot of hours and hard work into it. To see it paying off definitely helps my confidence out just coming into each day."

No.1-ranked Inbee Park isn't playing this week. Second-ranked Stacy Lewis opened with a 70; Lewis won the North Texas Shootout. Also posting 70 was No. 3 Lydia Ko, who was victorious in the Swing Skirts LPGA Classic in San Francisco at the end of April.

Suzann Pettersen, who lost on the second sudden-death playoff hole to Kerr last year, had a 72.

For all the scores, visit www.lpga.com.