Walailak, Chien share early lead
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, March 29, 2013
Walailak Satarak of Thailand and Chinese Taipei's Chien Pei-yun shot matching 4-under 68's yesterday to share the lead after the first round of the Shanghai Classic, the opening tournament of the China LPGA Tour's fifth season.
Sichuan native Yang Taoli (69) was one stroke back in third, while Chinese amateurs Liu Yu and Shi Yuting both shot 2-under 70 to sit two off the pace with compatriot Shang Linyan and South Korean Ye Na-chung at the US$50,000 tournament.
Defending champion Rungthiwa Pangjan of Thailand carded a 73.
Satarak, a 29-year-old Bangkokian who moved to California as a teenager, registered five birdies versus a lone bogey at the Orient (Shanghai) Sports and Country Club. After three seasons of playing on the CLPGA Tour it was the first time she had ever had a share of the lead.
"I was putting it well today. I made all the putts and my short game was good. I made almost all the ups and downs and the driver was working well for me. It was a good day," she declared.
Chien, a 22-year-old who played on the Futures Tour in the United States last year, could have had the outright clubhouse lead had it not been for a bogey five on the last when she three-putted.
"This is a good start. I didn't set a goal before the tournament. I just wanted to execute my plan. I'm satisfied with this score, maybe I can relax a little bit," said the Pingtung native who tried to qualify for the China LPGA Tour two years ago but fell short.
Yang, who has returned to play in China after two seasons on the Japan Tour, carded five birdies and two bogeys and was happy with her round. "I executed my plan really well. But this is only the first day, let's wait and see."
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