SHANGHAI (AP) — Maja Stark and Wichanee Meechai each shot 6-under 66 on Thursday to take a two-stroke first-round lead at the LPGA Shanghai event in the tour's return to China after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stark, one of three rookies on the European team which tied the Americans to retain the Solheim Cup last month in Spain, birdied four of her first six holes on the Qizhong Garden Golf Club course. Meechai overcame a first-hole bogey and finished strongly with a pair of birdies.
“Playing the Solheim Cup gave me so much confidence,” Stark said. “A whole continent is looking for you to play well.”
Americans Danielle Kang, Lauren Coughlin and Alison Lee and Chinese players Cai Danlin and Li Shuying were in a group at 68 and in a 10-way tied for third.
Kang is going for her third straight victory in Shanghai after winning in 2018 and 2019.
The field, representing 21 countries, features the top two players in the women’s world rankings, Lilia Vu (72 Thursday) and Women’s PGA champion Ruoning Yin, who shot 71.
South Korean-born New Zealander Lydia Ko shot 74.
The 81-player, no-cut field features 62 players from the LPGA Tour, 15 from the China Ladies PGA and four sponsor exemptions. The event is the start of a four-tournament Asia swing, with later stops in South Korea, Malaysia and Japan.
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