Sophie ahead by two strokes

2009/09/26

DANVILLE (California): Sweden's Sophie Gustafson, who is seeking her first win on the tour in six years, posted a seven-under 65 to grab the first-round lead at the LPGA's CVS Challenge on Thursday.

Sophie has had runner-up finishes in each of the past five years, including a second place at this year's Evian Masters. Her last win was the 2003 Samsung World Championship.

She leads South Korea's Kim Na Ri, American Angela Stanford and Mexico's Sophia Sheridan by two strokes in the US$1.1 million (RM3.8 million) tournament at the Blackhawk Country Club course.

World No 1 Lorena Ochoa of Mexico, Karrie Webb of Australia, China's Feng Shan-shan, South Korea's Bae Kyeong and Mikaela Parmlid of Sweden each carded four-under 68 for fifth place.

Suzann Pettersen, Jennifer Rosales, Kim Welch, Tseng Yani, Karine Icher, Anna Grzebien, Maria Hjorth, Helen Alfredsson, Beth Bader and Kim Joo-mi are tied for 10th at minus-three.

SOPHIE GUSTAFSON

Sophie, who started on hole No. 10, made birdie on the 12th and 15th holes.

She added two more at 17 and 18 to get to three under at the turn.

She began the second nine with a birdie at No. 3 then added three more on the fifth, sixth and eighth holes to reach seven under.

Casie Cathres, a 13-year-old amateur, posted a hole-in-one on the par-three 12th hole. She finished at two-over-par 74. -- AFP