Thursday 26 February 2015 14:30, UK
Stacy Lewis joined compatriot Brittany Lang and Yani Tseng at the top of the LPGA Thailand leaderboard, after the trio posted six-under 66's in the opening round.
The world No 3 reached the turn in just 29 after an eagle on the par five first and five birdies on the front nine, before a further gain on the 12th moved her to eight-under. Lewis missed out on the overall lead with dropped shots on 13 and at the last, but was pleased with her start to the tournament.
“There are tough holes that if you get on the wrong side of it,” Lewis said. “We misjudged the wind on 13 and got on the wrong side of the hole, and then made a couple bad decisions there on 18. You know, it happens on this golf course. You get short sided, you’re going to make a bogey. Just try to minimize the damage.”
“I was pleased coming out today with the ball striking,” Lewis said. ”That was something those first two events that wasn’t quite there. Pleased with the way I hit it. Put a new driver in the back this week and was pretty pleased with that, too. I’m excited about the rest of the week.”
Compatriot Lang had an indifferent start to the day, bogeying on six before rattling off five birdies in a row and eight in total to also post an opening round 66.
Two-time Thailand winner Tseng Yani's only blemish came at the 18th, with the Taiwenese golfer posting seven birdies to share the first round lead of a tournament for the first time in three years.
Six players including home favourite Ariya Jutanugam were a further shot behind on five-under, while an error-strewn round from world No 2 Inbee Park saw her post a two-under 70.
