SYLVANIA, Ohio -- Laura Diaz had three consecutive birdies
on the front nine and shot a 6-under 65 in the opening round of the
Jamie Farr Kroger Classic on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead
over defending champion Rachel Teske.
Teen sensation Michelle Wie struggled early, but recovered
thanks to her putting, an area she has been working on the last
month.
"I guess it finally paid off,'' she said after a 2-over 73 in
her fourth LPGA Tour event of the year.
Four players were tied for third at 67, including Mi-Hyun Kim
who had six birdies over the final nine holes.
Dottie Pepper, Heather Bowie and Carri Wood also had 67s.
Wie, the 13-year-old amateur from Honolulu, was in the last
group to tee off in the afternoon and got off to a shaky start,
hitting two of her first three tee shots far to the right and into
the rough.
Her tee shot on No. 2 nearly bounced into a back yard, but her
second shot sailed through trees and stopped within 5 feet of the
green.
She was easily the biggest attraction, leaving a big gallery
shaking their heads with her booming drives.
But Wie got into more trouble with her tee shot on No. 5 and
lost a ball, ending up with a triple-bogey.
Wie turned it around with her putting on the back nine at
Highland Meadows Golf Club.
"I learned I've got to be more patient,'' she said.
Wie's father, B.J. Wie, returned to carry her bag after a
self-imposed ban that came following a flap at the U.S. Women's
Open a month ago.
B.J. Wie had claimed Danielle Ammaccapane pushed his daughter
over a breach of etiquette. A day later he retracted the story,
saying there was no physical contact. But he stood by statements
that Ammaccapane berated his daughter in the scoring tent.
Wie said she felt more comfortable having her father back as her
caddie.
"It was nice,'' she said. "He helped me a lot with reading
putts.''
Diaz managed to birdie consecutive holes on the back nine
despite driving into the trees on each. She also made a 60-foot
putt for birdie on her sixth hole of the day.
Diaz wasn't too impressed with her play.
"I didn't hit as well as I scored,'' she said.
Teske birdied the first two holes. Her tee shot on the par-3
first hole rolled within 5 feet of the cup. And her second drive
stopped about seven feet from dropping.
"It started from there and I got a little bit of momentum,''
she said. "It was pretty hot out there, but I felt pretty
comfortable all day.''
A stifling heat that reached the low 90s may have been the
biggest challenge facing the players.
"It was probably the hottest weather I've played in all year,''
said Teske, who was gobbling up grapes, bananas and water to stay
refreshed.
Kim ended her sizzling round looking weary and said she was sick
and had to sit down.
There were 11 players tied at 3 under, three shots off the lead.