Pair tied for ShopRite lead atop crowded leaderboard

Pair tied for ShopRite lead atop crowded leaderboard










Rick Woelfel, The Sports Xchange May 31, 2013 7:20 PMThe SportsXchange



GALLOWAY, N.J. -- Amanda Blumenherst and Moriya Jutanugarn share the first-round lead at the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer.

Blumenherst and Jutanugarn got around the Bay Course at the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club just outside Atlantic City in 5-under par 66.

The field was closely bunched behind them.

Defending champion Stacy Lewis sits alone in third place after a 4-under par 67. Michelle Wie turned in a 68. Hee Young Park, Ji Young Oh, Pornanong Phatlum, Jennifer Song, and Sara-Maude Juneau are all at 69.

Eight of the top nine players teed off in the morning wave. While they had to deal with heat and humidity, they were able to avoid the winds that kicked up in the afternoon and sent the scores climbing.

The two co-leaders are each seeking their first career LPGA win.

Jutanugarn, who won't turn 19 until July, is an LPGA rookie. She tied for fourth in the season opener in Australia after sharing medalist honors at the final stage of Q-School last fall. She has struggled in recent weeks however. In her last four starts she's tied for 26th, tied for 39th, and missed two cuts.

Her round on Friday started with two birdies; she made the turn in 1-under par 36, and then played the back side in 4 under par. She finished with six birdies on her scorecard and only a single blemish, a bogey at the par-5 third.

Blumenherst's effort was highlighted by an eagle at the third, a 35-foot putt from just beyond the back fringe. She made the turn in 2-under par 35, and then added three additional birdies coming in.

Her only bogey of the day came at the par-4 sixth,

The 26-year old Blumenherst joined the LPGA Tour in 2010. She's struggled this year, making just two cuts in eight starts prior to this week. Her best career finish to date was a tie for fifth in Thailand in 2012.

Lewis, the reigning LPGA Player of the Year, is seeking her third victory of the season.

Playing the back nine first she played her opening nine holes in 2-under par 32, then recorded two additional birdies at the third and the fifth holes. She gave back a shot at the sixth.

If Lewis successfully defends her title, she will make history. Since the tournament was first played in 1986 no returning champion has made a successful title defense.

NOTES: This marks the 25th edition of the tournament. It was first played in 1986 but there was no tournament held from 2007-09. ... The shot of the day was made by Shanshan Feng, who found herself in the rough short and right of the green at the par-5 18th (her ninth hole of the day). She chipped from heavy rough to inside four feet and made the birdie putt.