Three Set Pace in Lorena Ochoa Invitational


Two Americans and a Taiwanese got off to a good start in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. The $1 million, 72-hole tournament hosted by the retired LPGA Tour star began Thursday at Guadalajara Country Club in Ochoa's home country of Mexico.

The trio of leaders - who all shot 6-under 66s - includes Angela Stanford of Texas, Hawaii's Michelle Wie and Candie Kung of Taiwan. Stanford had seven birdies and a bogey, while Wie - the 2009 winner of the tournament - carded six birdies, including four in a row on Nos. 10-13. Kung, a 31-year-old who played collegiate golf at USC, had seven birdies and a bogey.

Sharing fourth after 67s are France's Karine Icher, South Koreans So Yeon Ryu and Inbee Park, and Americans Cristie Kerr and Stacy Lewis. The No. 2-ranked Lewis is coming off her Tour-leading fourth victory of the season at last week's Mizuno Classic in Japan.

Australia's Katherine Hull and South Korea's I.K. Kim are tied for ninth after 68s, while another stroke back are Sweden's Anna Nordqvist and Spain's Beatriz Ricari.

No. 1-ranked Yani Tseng of Taiwan shot a 70 along with Norway's Suzann Pettersen and South Korean Hee Kyung Seo.

Ochoa, who logged 27 LPGA titles before retiring at age 28 in 2010, and defending champion Catriona Matthew of Scotland are in a big group that shot 1-under 71s. Ochoa didn't play in her namesake tournament last year as it came a month before the birth of her son, Pedro, in December.

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