Tseng, Oh, Hedwall share Kia Classic lead

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Tseng, Oh, Hedwall share Kia Classic lead

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Tseng fired a five-under par 67 to grab a share of the first-round lead.

23 March,2012 09:25 am

Top-ranked Yani Tseng shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday for a share of the first-round lead with Ji Young Oh and Caroline Hedwall in the Kia Classic.Tseng won the LPGA Founders Cup on Sunday in Phoenix for her 14th LPGA Tour title and second in four events this year. The 23-year-old Taiwanese star led the tour last season with seven victories — including major victories in the LPGA Championship and Womens British Open — and finished the year with 12 worldwide titles.Tseng finished with a birdie on the par-4 ninth after dropping a stroke on the par-3 eighth when she drew a difficult lie in a greenside bunker.It plugged in the bunker, Tseng said. I didnt have a good lie there. I chipped out pretty good to 6 feet and just missed (the putt) a little bit to the right.On the ninth, her approach shot hit the left side of the fringe and kicked onto the green, coming to rest 3 feet from the hole.I think I hit a good shot, Tseng said. Sometimes you hit a good shot, you get good luck and a good bounce.Tseng hit eight of 14 fairways and 12 of 18 greens in regulation.I didnt hit a lot of fairways, Tseng said. This golf course is very narrow and the rough is really long. If you dont hit the fairways, its kind of very hard to get close to the pin.Oh, a two-time LPGA Tour winner who fought a hip injury the last two seasons, also had six birdies and a bogey — also on No. 8 — on La Costas Legends Course. She hit all but one fairway.Everything is good for me, Im really calm, Oh said. My shot is really good, so I have a good score.Hedwall, from Sweden had seven birdies and two bogeys.Ive been hitting it very solid lately, Hedwall said. I felt like if I could have a good day, I could shoot low. I made a lot of birdies and made it close, so that helped a lot.Suzann Pettersen, Jiyai Shin, Brittany Lincicome and hometown star Jennifer Johnson were a stroke backPettersen played alongside Tseng.I really wanted to make that last putt because she was going to make hers to go to 5 under, Pettersen said. Its a nice edge, it kind of gets you focused just a fraction bit more.The 20-year-old Johnson is a La Costa member.You definitely have some expectations for yourself, Johnson said. But the greens are a little bumpy, and I think thats where I have the advantage, just knowing sometimes they dont break.Sandra Gal, the winner last year at Industry Hills, shot a 72.Michelle Wie opened with a 77.