Pressel among Jamie Farr leaders

Golf Betting Lines

07/02/2009 - Sylvania, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Morgan Pressel, Laura Diaz and Song-Hee Kim each fired rounds of seven-under 64 on Thursday to share the opening-round lead of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.

Suzann Pettersen and Michelle Wie are knotted in fourth place at six-under 65 at Highland Meadows Golf Club.

Tournament officials had to be pleased to see so many familiar faces so high up on the leaderboard, considering they lost one of the biggest stars before she teed off.

Paula Creamer, last year's winner, withdrew before her round on Thursday. She injured her left thumb last week and received treatment on the injury since she withdrew in the middle of last week's Wegmans LPGA.

It was at that event less than a week ago where Pressel began the final round in second place, but a 78 on Sunday left her 11 shots behind champion Jiyai Shin.

"You just take what happened last week, especially on that back nine in terms of the weather, and move on and take what's there this week," said Pressel, the 2007 Kraft Nabisco Champion.

Pressel started on the 10th tee Thursday and collected her first birdie when she poured in a 15-footer at the 13th. She hit a spectacular seven-iron approach to tap-in range for another birdie at 16, then closed her opening nine with a five-foot birdie putt at the par-five 18th.

On her second nine, Pressel waited until the fourth hole for her first birdie. She hit an eight-iron to 10 feet and got to four-under par for the championship.

That birdie kicked off a great run for Pressel. She sank another 10-foot birdie putt at five, tapped in a short birdie effort at six and polished off her fourth birdie in a row with a 10-footer at the par-five seventh hole.

"I hit every fairway and hit every green, and gave myself birdie opportunities on every hole. You can't ask for much more than that," said Pressel. "I made a couple good 10-15 footers, and just kept giving myself chances. I just said, just keep hitting it close, and it will go in eventually."

Diaz first broke into red figures with a 25-foot birdie putt at the fourth. She lost that stroke with a bogey at the fifth after an errant drive, but got back to one-under with a 12-footer for birdie at eight.

Diaz caught fire on the back side. She kicked in a short one at 10 and rolled in a nine-foot birdie putt at the 13th. Diaz birdied her next two to get minus-five.

At the par-five 17th, Diaz laid up with her second shot and had a 56-degree wedge for her third. She holed out the chip from 38 yards and that put her into a tie for first.

"I put myself at a really good angle to the pin, and I had the whole green to work with, with nothing in my line of sight," said Diaz of her eagle at 17. "I put a new 56 in this week, just yesterday, and it checked up a little bit, then just dribbled into the hole."

Kim bogeyed the first hole, but four straight birdies from No. 4 got her to three-under par. Three more consecutive birdies after the turn pushed Kim to six-under, but a bogey at 16 dropped her two off the lead.

Kim, who has five top 10s this season, birdied her last two for her piece of the lead.

"After missing the cut last week I was a little nervous with my game, with my swing and everything," admitted Kim through a translator. "I am glad I played well today."

Shin continued her fine form with a five-under 66 on Thursday. She is tied for sixth place with Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park, Lindsey Wright, Jee Young Lee and Minea Blomqvist.

World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa, who has never won this championship, shot a four- under 67 and is part of a large group tied for 12th place.