Stanford in front at LPGA Singapore event

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SINGAPORE, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Angela Stanford shot a bogey-free, 6-under-par 66 Thursday and has the lead after the first round of the LPGA's HSBC Women's Champions tournament in Singapore.

Stanford had birdies on two of her final three holes in building a two-stroke lead over five players who are tied at 4-under 68.

That group includes Momoko Ueda who twice had strings of three consecutive birdies but also a double bogey and a bogey Thursday. Also at 4-under are Choi Na-yeon and Amy Yang, who each had five birdies and a bogey, and Kim In-kyung and Ryu So-yeon, who each had six birdies and two bogeys.

Seven players are 3-under after the first round.

Stanford, playing the second nine of the Tanah Merah Country Club first Thursday, opened with a birdie at the 10th hole. A birdie at the 16th allowed her to make the turn at 2-under.

She had back-to-back birdies at the first and second holes and capped the round with birdies at 7 and 9.