GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Michelle Wie shot a 6-under 66 on Thursday for a share of the first-round lead in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational with Angela Stanford and Candie Kung.
The 2009 tournament winner for the first of her two LPGA Tour victories, Wie birdied the first two holes at Guadalajara Country Club and opened the back nine with four straight birdies to match her lowest score of the year. She got into the 36-player field this year on a sponsor invitation after failing to qualify.
Stanford won the inaugural event in 2008.
Second-ranked Stacy Lewis, coming off her tour-leading fourth victory of the season Sunday in Japan, was a stroke back along with Inbee Park, Cristie Kerr, So Yeon Ryu and Karine Icher.
Lewis has a 58-point lead over Park with two events left in the player of the year points race, putting her in position to become the first American to win the award since Beth Daniel in 1994.
Ochoa opened with a 71. The Mexican star won 27 LPGA Tour titles before retiring at age 28 in 2010. She missed the event last year before the birth of son Pedro in December.
Suzann Pettersen, making her first start since winning consecutive events in South Korea and Taiwan, was four strokes back at 70 in a group that included top-ranked Yani Tseng.
Defending champion Catriona Matthew had a 71.
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