Wie leads with 7 under-par opening day of CN Canadian Women's Open

By Tim Campbell & Gary Lawless
August 26, 2010


Winnepeg, MB — Michelle Wie overpowered St. Charles Country Club this afternoon with a 7 under-par 65 that included a hole-in-one and took the first-round lead of the CN Canadian Women’s Open.

Wie had six birdies and her ace at No. 11 — a five-iron from 190 yards — and leads the Open by three shots over Australia’s Sarah Kemp.

Wie’s only blemish on the day was a bogey that followed her ace. She made a five at the par-4 12th.

Defending champion Suzann Pettersen of Norway was also in contention after Round 1, posting a solid three-under-par 69.

Top Canadians by late afternoon were Seema Sadekar, in at 73, and Sue Kim and Alena Sharp, who were on the course late in their rounds at one-over.

The  Womens Open opened with a combination of sun and little breeze that made it perfect golf watching weather.

Early estimates had more than10,000 spectators at St. Charles to watch the LPGA event.

The big excitement of the afternoon came when Wie scored her hole in one on the 190-yard par three 11th home.

Sarah Kemp of Australia grabbed the early clubhouse lead after shooting 4-under-par 68 in the first round. The third-year LPGA Tour player overcame south winds of up to 30 km/h at St. Charles Country Club to tally six birdies and two bogeys on the par-72, 6,572-yard course.

Rookie Ilhee Lee of South Korea was one shot back, ahead of a group of players at 2-under.

A number of the world's top players teed off in the afternoon, including No. 1 Ai Miyazato of Japan, who was in a threesome with No. 6 Na Yeon Choi of South Korea and No. 3 Suzann Pettersen, the defending champion.

Veteran Lorie Kane of Charlottetown shot a 75. Top-ranked Canadian Alena Sharp of Hamilton had an afternoon start. No Canadian has won the tournament since Jocelyne Bourassa in 1973.

The women are competing for a part of the US$2.25-million purse, including a cheque of $337,500 for the winner.

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