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SPRINGFIELD, Illinois: Five-time major champion Se Ri Pak fired six birdies in a six-under par 66 opening round Thursday to match fellow South Korean Jee Young Lee for the lead at the LPGA State Farm Classic.
Pak, who has not won since the 2007 Jamie Farr Classic, has not cracked the top 10 in 10 starts this year but birdied three of the last four holes to equal her low round of the season at the US$1.7-million tournament.
"Lately my game has been getting pretty settled down - getting closer and closer each week," Pak said. "I know I can play well pretty soon. But at the same time I'm trying not to give too much pressure because I was there before.
"The problem was I was myself too much of a hard time. I'm trying to go really low every week. It's not easy. It takes many years."
The 31-year-old Asian star seeks her 25th LPGA triumph in an event that features every top-50 money winner this season except top-ranked Lorena Ochoa of Mexico, the field preparing for next week's LPGA Championship.
"The week before the second major of the year, I'm very excited. My game is moving kind of slowly. I'm having lot of confidence, making sure I'm mentally ready all the time.
"Next week is a lot more important. Overall this is probably a great time to play well."
Pak, who ranks 44th on the money list with a best finish of 13th in 2009, opened with a birdie and finished strong, sinking a 10-foot birdie on the 15th, two-putting from 35 feet for birdie at the par-5 16th and sinking a 15-footer at the last.
"Overall I'm very happy," Pak said. "I felt great about it. I was really relaxed and having fun."
Lee, who began on the back nine, suffered her lone bogey at the par-3 14th but answered with seven birdies, the last of them coming at the ninth when she sent a 6-iron six feet from the cup to set up a birdie.
"I hit pretty good," Lee said. "A lot of times I kept it in the fairway. A lot of easy birdies from there. Every hole I was concentrating well."
American Kris Tamulis was third on 66 followed by Natalie Gulbis, Norway's Suzann Pettersen and Germany's Anja Monke on 67. Michelle Wie opened with a 70.
- AFP/yb
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