Golf-American Lincicome sets early pace at Mission Hills
RANCHO MIRAGE, California, April 2 (Reuters) - Brittany Lincicome shrugged off a mediocre start to the season by charging into an early one-shot lead in the Kraft Nabisco Championship first round on Thursday.
The long-hitting American fired a sparkling six-under-par 66 at Mission Hills Country Club to take control in the opening women's major of the year.
On a hot and relatively calm day in the California desert, Lincicome carded eight birdies and two bogeys to finish one ahead of compatriots Angela Stanford and Brittany Lang and South Korean Oh Ji-Young.
Mexican world number one Lorena Ochoa, who won last year's title by five shots, struggled with her driving en route to a 73 while Michelle Wie birdied two of the last five holes for a 71.
Lincicome, who has finished no better than tied for 39th in three LPGA Tour starts this year, was thrilled with her round.
"If you would have given me that (66) this morning I would have taken it and ran," the 23-year-old told reporters.
"I was hitting the ball really well, keeping it in play, which has been a little bit of a struggle lately and then putting, I was making almost everything I looked at.
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