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HOUSTON, Texas: Lorena Ochoa fired a first-round 66 Thursday to hold a one-shot lead in the LPGA's season-ending Tour Championship, while Michelle Wie withdrew with ankle problems.
Ochoa was one shot in front of Reilley Rankin, and nothing at the top was set to change when the four groups who failed to finish because of darkness returned to complete their rounds on Friday morning.
Michelle Wie, fresh from her first professional triumph at the Ochoa-hosted LPGA event in Mexico last week, was hampered by a sprained left ankle as she shot a 72.
Wie, who first hurt her ankle at the Solheim Cup in August, has since withdrew from the Championship after going for treatment.
"I wanted to do everything I could to fight through the injury," Wie said in a statement. "It bothered me last week in Mexico, but I was able to play through the pain. I realised today that I wouldn't be able to continue to play through it.
"I want to make sure that I'm being smart with it. I will return home to have it looked at by my doctors and follow their advice for treatment."
Ochoa, the world number one who is trying to add to her three straight Player of the Year awards, teed off early before the winds picked up.
She is four shots in front of Jiyai Shin (70), the South Korean who has already wrapped up Rookie of the Year honors and brought an eight-point lead over Ochoa in the Player of the Year race into the tournament.
For Ochoa to earn a fourth consecutive player of the year title, she must win this week or finish no worse than third and hope Shin places out of the top 10.
- AFP/yb
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