The Tribune

MAJOR winners Paula Creamer and Catriona Matthew were among seven players sharing the lead at five-under-par 68 on Thursday after the first round of the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic.

Creamer, the 2010 US Women’s Open champion, and Matthew, who won the 2009 British Open, were joined by rookie Ashlan Ramsey, part-time college student Alison Lee, England’s Charley Hull, and the Japanese pair Mika Miyazato and Haru Nomura.

“I'll definitely take it,” said Creamer, who shares the tournament record of 65 at the Ocean Club Golf Course, Paradise Island, with Michelle Wie. “This golf course, it's a great track. It really does play well. The wind makes it very difficult, but these greens, they're challenging. The biggest thing is get it as close as you can from the fairways and see what you can do.”

Jennifer Johnson and Min Seo Kwak were a stroke back at 69, while another eight players shot three-under 70. Defending champion Sei Young Kim was among 15 players at two-under as the field bunched amid breezy conditions.

Bahamian Georgette Rolle battled back from a terrible start, in which she had three double bogeys in her opening five holes from the tenth. Three birdies, at the 16th, second and fourth, kept her steady but she tripped again over the closing holes, finishing bogey, double bogey, for a round of 82.

Both Lee and Miyazato reached six under par but gave a stroke back late in their rounds. Lee’s came at her final hole, the ninth, after overshooting the green. Before that she sandwiched a 60-foot chip-in eagle at the seventh between birdies. Playing in the morning, Miyazato needed only 10 putts in her blitz of six birdies in her first nine holes in calmer conditions, but did not make another on her second nine.

“Yeah, very excited because if green‑in‑regulation, I make it, make it, make it,” Miyazato said. “I’m always excited first tournament of the year, this tournament. Always windy so I need to more focus in the one shot at a time.”

A student at UCLA carrying four classes this semester, Lee also was pleased about her start as she juggles school and sport. “I'm really happy with how I played today, to be honest,” said Lee, in her second professional season. “I had no idea I would play this well. After my round I just looked at Jason [Gilroy, her caddie] and kind of laughed like, ‘Oh, my God, I shot five under, wow, that's great.’ Honestly, I don't feel like I did enough to prepare.”

Mo Martin recorded the first hole-in-one of the season on the LPGA Tour when she aced the par-three 12th in a round of 73. Martin used a five-iron from 157 yards to sink her sixth career ace and second in competition. "My last two have been in competition, so we're trending well," said the former Women’s British Open champion.

World No.2 Inbee Park, the highest ranked player in the field and winner of two majors last year, played her final four holes in five over par and carded an 80, her second worst score as a professional. It was a far cry from a year ago when she opened with a 68. She withdrew later in the day, citing a sore back.

Past champions Ilhee Lee and Jessica Korda carded 71 and 72, respective, while Christine Song, who shot a course-record 64 to win the Monday qualifier, had a 73.

Brooke Pancake, the first-round leader a year ago and recipient of a sponsor exemption into this week’s field, withdrew prior to the start of her round due to a rib injury. First alternate Bertine Strauss replaced her.

Full first round report, photographs and scores in The Tribune tomorrow