LINGSHUI, China, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Yoo Sun-young set the early pace at the Blue Bay LPGA on Wednesday when the South Korean fired a seven-under 65 for a one-stroke lead after the first round of the co-sanctioned event between the China and US LPGA Tours on Hainan Island.
China's Sui Xiang (66) was alone in second at the 2.1 million US dollars tournament being contested at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Club, in Hainan province.
South Africans Ashleigh Buhai and Lee-Anne Pace were a shot further back at 67, tied for equal third with Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg, American Lizette Salas and Koreans Lee Jeong-eun and Choi Na-yeon.
Park Sung-hyun of South Korea, the new world No. 1, was in a group of four players on 68, while China's Feng Shanshan, the world No. 3, was at 69. Defending champion Lee Min-jee of Australia shot 71.
Starting her day from the Jian Lake Blue Bay back nine, Yoo fired a bogey-free round in the warm but windy conditions. The 30-year-old Seoul native, who has won nearly 5 million US dollars on the US LPGA Tour since 2006, put together her best round of the year in her quest to win her first tournament since the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship.
"My putting and irons are good today. I got seven birdies and ended the game with two birdies. On hole eight, I hit 85 yards to the pin and hit the ball six feet to the hole. On hole nine, there was 124 yards to the hole and I hit with a nine-iron, left it a little bit more than 10 feet. I made that putt," said the former South Korean amateur champion.
"I had a lot of fun today. The course is good, the fairway and greens are in good shape. It's a little bit windy but it's okay for me. The key today is keep low a little bit. The greens are fast so I had to pay more attention on putts."
Sui, who also started from the back nine, finished strongly with four birdies over her last six holes to get into the mix.
"I am very calm today and just want to learn from these excellent players," said the 18-year-old from Guangzhou. "Today's good result is because of my good attitude."
Park, the first US LPGA Tour rookie to become the world No.1 in the Rolex ranking, carded a round that included five birdies and a lone bogey.
"I will try to be the champion in all events. I wish to get progress every day," said the 24-year-old who won seven times in South Korea last year. "I'm satisfied with this kind of start. I wish I could be stable over the next three days, especially with the putts. If I could do all these things I said I am confident to be the champion."
China's Ye Lei was the top amateur as the teenager carded a two-under 70.
