CARLSBAD, Calif., March 21 (UPI) -- Jane Park, seeking her first LPGA Tour win in six years of trying, took the lead Thursday after the first round of the Kia Classic.
Park turned in a bogey-free, 6-under 66 at the Aviara Golf Club for a one-shot advantage over LPGA Hall of Famer Karrie Webb and Caroline Hedwall.
Giulia Sergas and Jessica Korda shared fourth place at 68 while the large group at 3-under 69 included Paula Creamer and another member of the LPGA Hall of Fame -- Se Ri Pak.
The tournament is being played without Yani Tseng, the defending champion who was supplanted as the world's No. 1 player this week by Stacy Lewis.
Tseng overslept Wednesday and missed the starting time for her pro-am pairing. Under LPGA Tour rules, anyone failing to show up for the pro-am event is not allowed to play in that week's tournament.
Lewis, in her first week with the No. 1 ranking, a 2-under 70 and was tied for 16th place. She won the Founders Cup event last week, the first tour stop in the United States this year.
