Lee ahead after record-breaking round

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  • March 18, 2016

Mi Hyang Lee holds a one-shot lead following the first round of the JTBC Founders Cup in Phoenix after carding a tournament-record 10-under-par 62. 

Lee is closely followed by Sei Young Kim and Brittany Lang, who are in a tie for second after firing nine-under-par 63s. 

Giulia Sergas occupies fourth place on the leaderboard after hitting an eight-under-par 64. 

Meanwhile, world number one Lydia Ko is eight strokes off the pace in a tie for 52nd after registering a two-under-par 70, while Inbee Park had a day to forget as she recorded a one-over-par 73. 

Lee made seven birdies, six of which came in a row from the 13th to 18th and an eagle at the par-five 11th to match Amy Yang and Beth Daniel’s nine-hole record of nine-under. 

Lee looked on track to break Annika Sorenstam’s record round of 59, which was set in the second round of the Standard Register Ping in 2001, but she cooled off drastically on her back nine, managing to make just one birdie at the fifth. 

Kim’s round of 63 is a career-best as she had previously managed to hit rounds of 65 on six different occasions in 2015. The 23-year-old, who finished in a tie for 34th at the HSBC Women’s Champions two weeks ago, made nine birdies during her round, which included a hat-trick from the third to fifth. 

Lang matched her career-best of 63, which she previously carded at the 2012 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, after making nine birdies during her superb round. 

Ko, who finished in a tie for 15th HSBC Women’s Champions, got off to a mediocre start as she made a birdie and bogey on the front nine. She then shifted her game to the next level and went on to make consecutive birdies at the 17th and 18th to finish on a bright note. 

Park, who currently sits in a tie for 104th, struggled on Thursday as she endured a frustrating round that consisted of two birdies and three bogeys.  

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