EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France, July 21 (UPI) -- Ahn Shin-ae, Maria Hjorth and Karen Stupples share the lead at 5-under-par 67 after Thursday's first round of the LPGA's Evian Masters tournament in France.
Stupples closed with three birdies, Ahn had three birdies in her final four holes, and Hjorth stumbled with bogeys in her last three holes in shooting 67.
Six golfers, including Cristie Kerr and Ai Miyazato, are tied for fourth at 4-under with another seven at 3-under. World No. 1 ranked golfer Yani Tseng is among that group.
Hjorth opened with a par and then ran off three consecutive birdies. After two more pars she had back-to-back birdies at Nos. 7 and 8. She pulled that off again on 11 and 12 and got to 8-under on the day with a birdie at the 14th hole.
But she had bogeys on each of the last three holes in slipping back to 5-under.
Stupples was 1-over after a double bogey at the par-5 ninth hole but righted her round with three birdies in four holes from 10-13. She closed strong with birdies at 16, 17 and 18.
Ahn had a pair of bogeys in her first 10 holes; however, she was 2-under after a birdie at No. 11. She also closed fast, with birdies at 16, 17 and 18.
