Lee leads Australian Masters after first round
Posted February 2, 2012 8:49 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GOLD COAST, Australia — Lee Bo-mee of South Korea made seven birdies for a 7-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead after Thursday’s first round of the Australian Ladies Masters.
U.S. Open champion So Yeon Ryu led early, but finished a stroke back at Royal Pines, tied with fellow-South Korean Hee Kyung Seo and Christel Boeljon of the Netherlands.
American teenager Lexi Thompson shot five birdies in an error-free round to sit two strokes off the pace with England’s Felicity Johnson and Australian duo Nikki Campbell and Stephanie Na.
The 16-year-old Thompson became the youngest winner in Ladies European Tour history in December when she won the Dubai Ladies Masters. In September she became the youngest LPGA Tour champion with a victory in the Navistar LPGA Classic in Alabama.
Lee was a six-shot runner-up to Karrie Webb in the 2010 Masters.
“Driving good, irons good, putting good. Easy, easy day,” she said through an interpreter.
Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane was five shots off the lead at 2-under 70 while Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont., carded a 1-under 71. Nancy Harvey of Swift Current, Sask., shot 4-over 76.
Ryu, who teed off from No. 10, said she felt the weight of expectation after her major win.
“The first few holes I was very nervous as it is my first tournament of the year,” she said. “But on the 12th hole I made a nice birdie putt so I could finally relax.”
Thompson played with 14-year-old New Zealand amateur Lydia Ko, who become the youngest winner of a professional golf tour event Sunday when she won the women’s New South Wales Open by four strokes.
Ko bogeyed two of her last four holes to finish with a 70.
“She’s an amazing player. She’s so consistent, she barely misses shots,” Thompson said of Ko. “She’s not scared of anything, you can tell.”
