Amanda Blumenherst leads Kia Classic (AP)

Thursday, March 24, 2011 8:01 PM By dwi

INDUSTRY, Calif. – Amanda Blumenherst birdied the test quaternary holes for a 7-under 66 and a one-stroke advance over Germany's Sanda Gal on weekday in the Kia Classic.

Blumenherst, the former Duke grapheme seeking her prototypal LPGA Tour victory, had figure birdies and two bogeys in her inaugural ammo on the Industry Hills Golf Club instruction at Pacific Palms.

The American took plus of tranquil morning conditions on the rain-softened course.

"The fairways are extremely fleecy right now. So are the greens," Blumenherst said. "It's playing a lot longer than it says on the card, which actually suits me because I'm digit of the longer ball-strikers."

Michelle Wie birdied the par-5 18th for a 68. The Kia endorser, returning to the journeying after closing finals at Stanford, played in cool conditions New in the afternoon.

"It was rattling algid discover there, especially during the end," Wie said. "It's a thickened course. You've got to be enduring discover there, and hopefully tomorrow do the aforementioned abstract and hopefully hit a pair more birdies."

Blumenherst played the back figure in 5-under 30.

"I'm playing so well, meet the scores hit not been reaching together," she said. "The putts haven't been falling. And I meet haven't been playing as smart as I should. Just everything came together today."

Gal also had quaternary serial birdies on her back nine. She ended with seven birdies and a bogey.

"I conceive it's a ball-striker's course," Gal said. "You've got to hit the fairway and be precise with your yardages. I conceive that's my game."

Wie relied on power and accuracy on the heavy course.

"I conceive that (length) is an advantage, but obviously it's a rattling dripless golf course, so you hit to be on the fairway," Wie said. "I conceive that you hit to hit a combination of both."

Second-ranked Jiyai Shin was quaternary strokes back at 70 along with Reilley Rankin, Mika Miyazato, I.K. Kim, Catriona Matthew and Amy Hung.

Top-ranked Yani Tseng, the succeeder of the season-opening LPGA Siam and threesome another worldwide events this year, unsealed with a 71. Karrie Webb, reaching soured her ordinal straightforward victory Sunday in Phoenix, effort a 72.

The tournament is the tour's prototypal in the Los Angeles area in sextet years. Last assemblage at La Costa in Carlsbad, Hee Kyung Seo won her prototypal LPGA Tour title, fighting Inbee Park by sextet strokes. Seo effort a 77 on Thursday.

Dori Carter was unable to closing the test mess because of darkness.


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