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Ryu So-yeon holds two-shot lead in Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic

Ryu So-yeon has made a bright start in San Francisco
Image: So Yeon Ryu has made a bright start in San Francisco

So Yeon Ryu shot a tournament-record nine-under-par 63 in the opening group in the first round of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic.

First round leaders

-9 So Yeon Ryu (Kor)
-7 Haru Nomura (Jpn)
-7 Candie Kung (Tai)
-5 Xi Yu Lin (Chn)
-5 Christel Boeljon (Ned)
-4 Rachel Rohanna (USA)
-4 Na Yeon Choi (Kor)
-4 Catriona Matthew (Sco)
-4 Lydia Ko (Nzl)
Others
-3 Brittany Lang (USA)
E Lexi Thompson (USA)

The South Korean was top of the leaderboard from start to finish throughout Thursday to secure a two-shot edge over her nearest rivals in San Francisco.

Ryu was bright and alert from the start and signed for a bogey-free round that gave her an advantage over Taiwan's Candie Kung and Haru Nomura of Japan.

"Well, I was kind of lucky to tee off really early," Ryu said. "I had a really fresh green, no wind. Also San Francisco is really cold in the morning, but this morning it was just the perfect temperature.

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"Then today everything was just great. My tee shot was great. I only missed one green today. I shot 17 greens. My putting was really good."

Candie Kung of the USA in action during the first round of the HSBC Women's Champions at the Sentosa Golf Club  in Singapore
Image: Candie Kung mixed nine birdies with two bogeys

Ryu needed just 27 putts on the first day, while Nomura carded her lowest round of 2016 with a seven-under par 65 in the opening session.

Kung bounced back from two opening bogeys by following up with nine birdies on the day.

Lin Xi Yu, of China and France's Christel Boeljon are tied for fourth at five-under par. Lin is coming off her second missed cut of the year.

Ryu may have the longest streak going but it hasn't translated into first-place prize money. She has struggled to break through since winning the Canadian Women's Open in 2014. That was also the last time she held a first-round lead.

World No 1 Lydia Ko is just one off the lead at the halfway stage
Image: Lydia Ko is five strokes off the pace

"One thing I can say is I work really hard and my whole team works really hard. Hopefully it's going to pay off next three days," Ryu said.

Defending champion Lydia Ko is tied for sixth at four-under par with a group that includes Catriona Matthew, Choi Na-Yeon and Rachel Rohanna. Ko battled in the first round, hitting just nine of 14 fairways and 10 of 18 greens.

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