Pressel Up by One at ShopRite Classic


Morgan Pressel carded a 5-under 66 to take the 18-hole lead at the ShopRite Classic. The event, one of the few remaining 54-hole tournaments on the LPGA Tour calendar, started Friday on the Bay Course at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Resort in Galloway Township, N.J.

Pressel, a 27-year-old Floridian in search of her first victory since the 2008 Kapalua LPGA Classic, posted five birdies, an eagle on the par-5 ninth and two bogeys for a one-stroke lead over Sweden's Anna Nordqvist, Canada's Alena Sharp, China's Min Lee and American Ryan O'Toole.

Nine players shot 68s, while another 12 had 69s.

Pressel started her round on the 10th tee. "I really didn't put myself in a whole lot of trouble," the 2007 Kraft Nabisco champion told reporters about the key to her fine round. "I wouldn't say that I certainly had the best game out there. I felt like I made a few mistakes.

"I guess I just made a few mistakes, and I didn't play all that well, but then I came down birdieing 8 and eagling the last hole. That definitely helps. And I only made two bogeys today. I mean they weren't great bogeys by any means. I shouldn't have really made them, but hopefully tomorrow I can eliminate those kinds of mistakes and can keep giving myself opportunities for birdie."

Defending champion Stay Lewis opened with a 1-over 72. Her round could have been worse but, after starting off on the 10th hole, she closed out the day with an eagle on the ninth. "It was pretty terrible up until that last hole," a disappointed Lewis said. "Just hit the ball bad, putted bad. Just didn't really get anything going."

As for the eagle, the 30-year-old, 11-time Tour winner added, "It makes a bad round be a little bit better, which is what you need to do, you know. You need to make your bad rounds not as bad. So just got me a little bit closer. I mean scores aren't going crazy. The golf course is playing tough enough that you post a number tomorrow and I'll be right in it."

Playing in her first tournament since injuring her hip at the Kingsmill Championship two weeks ago, Michelle Wie carded with a 72.

No. 1-ranked Lydia Ko isn't playing this week; No. 2 Inbee Park started with a 71.

For all the scores, visit http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/shoprite-lpga-classic-presented-by-acer/leaderboard.