SHIMA, Japan, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Teresa Lu, who had five consecutive birdies in one stretch Friday, is among three players tied for the lead at the LPGA's Mizuno Classic in Japan.
Lu and Hwang Ah-reum each had seven birdies and a bogey in the opening round while Akane Iijima was bogey-free en route to 6-under-par 66. They have a one-stroke lead over Momoko Ueda with seven players tied for fifth at 4-under.
Iijima was 1-under through 10 holes before posting three straight birdies from 11-13. She moved into the lead with birdies at Nos. 15 and 17.
Hwang, playing the back nine at the Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club first, had a bogey at No. 11 but three birdies over Nos. 13-15. She added another at the first hole and grabbed her share of the lead with another string of three birdies on Nos. 3-5.
Lu also opened on the second nine and was 2-under after seven holes but had her lone bogey at the day at the par-3 17th. She ran off five consecutive birdies on the first five holes on the front side for her 66.
The 54-hole Mizuno Classic is the final Asian stop on the 2011 LPGA schedule.
