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SYLVANIA, Ohio - Laura Diaz had three consecutive birdies on the front nine and shot 6-under 65 in the opening round of the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over defending champion Rachel Teske.
Teen sensation Michelle Wie struggled early but recovered with good putting, a part of her game she has been working on the past month.
"I guess it finally paid off," she said after 2-over 73 in her fourth LPGA Tour event this year.
Four players were tied for third at 67, including Mi-Hyun Kim, who had six birdies on the back nine.
Dottie Pepper, Heather Bowie and Carri Wood also shot 67.
Wie, the 13-year-old amateur from Honolulu, was easily the biggest attraction, leaving a big gallery shaking their heads with her booming drives. After several wayward drives early, she turned it around on the back nine at Highland Meadows Golf Club.
"I learned I've got to be more patient," she said.
Wie's father, B.J. Wie, returned to carry her bag after a self-imposed ban that came following a flap at the U.S. Women's Open a month ago. "It was nice," she said. "He helped me a lot with reading putts."
B.J. Wie had claimed Danielle Ammaccapane pushed his daughter over a breach of etiquette. A day later he retracted the story, saying there was no physical contact. But he stood by statements that Ammaccapane berated his daughter in the scoring tent.
Diaz managed to birdie consecutive holes on the back nine despite driving into the trees on each. She also made a 60-foot putt for birdie on her sixth hole of the day.
Diaz wasn't impressed with her own play.
"I didn't hit as well as I scored," she said.
Teske birdied the first two holes. Her tee shot on the par-3 first rolled within 5 feet of the cup. And her second drive stopped about 7 feet from the hole.
"It started from there and I got a little bit of momentum," she said. "It was pretty hot out there, but I felt pretty comfortable all day."
RUSSIAN OPEN: Nicolas Vanhootegem of Belgium shot 6-under 66 for a one-stroke lead after the first round in Nakhabino.
Vanhootegem had an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys in the European PGA Tour event that was delayed two hours by heavy rain at Le Meridien Moscow Golf and Country Club.
JUNIOR GOLF: Brittany Lincicome, 17, of Seminole will represent the United States in the second Junior Solheim Cup on Sept. 8-10 at Malmo, Sweden, the American Junior Golf Association announced. The event pits 12 girls from the United States against 12 from Europe. Lincicome makes the team after winning two AJGA events this season.