PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Pornanong Phatlum twice ran off three birdies in a row during a round of 8-under 64 Thursday that gave her the lead after the first day of the Safeway Classic.
Phatlum, playing late in the afternoon at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club, nipped Lexi Thompson by a shot for the first-round lead.
Thompson shot her 65 early in the day, a round highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 seventh.
Cristie Kerr, Lizette Salas and Sandra Gal all shot a 66 to share third place while the group at 67 included Michelle Wie.
Wie has started 65 tournaments without a victory after coming onto the LPGA Tour as a young sensation. She put together a bogey-free round that included birdies on five of her first 10 holes.
The current teen superstar of women's golf, 17-year-old amateur Lydia Ko, is not playing in this event after winning the Women's Canadian Open last week for the second straight year.
