Cindy Rarick shot a 5-under-par 66 Wednesday to hold a one shot lead after one round of the Women's Kemper Open golf tournament.
Rarick, who has four career victories on the LPGA Tour, started on the back nine and carded two birdies, then added three more birdies on the front nine."It was really fun for me out there today, because there were no bogeys," Rarick said. "I finished real well last week (at the Hawaiian Ladies Open) with a last-round 68, and I've just carried that good feeling over."
One shot behind Rarick were Karen Davies, Brandie Burton and Hollis Stacy. Davies collected seven birdies and three bogeys over the 6,056-yard, par-71 Blue Course.
"Last week I wasn't focused well," Davies said. "But I concentrated better today, plus I got some luck, which is all part of the game."
Burton, who was one of the top female amateur golfers in the U.S. before turning professional this year, had a birdie on the front nine and three on the back to post her 4-under 67.
"I struck the ball very well today," she said. "I got off to a good start with a birdie on the first hole, but I couldn't get any putts going until the 15th hole. I had a lot of makeable birdie putts."
Stacy, who owns 17 LPGA victories including three U.S. Women's Open titles, also carded a 67 without a bogey.
"I missed a couple of six-footers early in the round, but I told myself not to get too uspet because the greens are quite difficult to read," Stacy said.
Deb Richard, Tina Barrett, defending champion Beth Daneil and Trish Johnson were two shots back at 3-under, while former champion Jane Geddes was among a group of five three shots back.