SK TELECOM OPEN RELATED STORIES SK Telecom Open Preview Round 1: Vesconte leads as Wie battles to 70 Round 2: Wie makes the cut and history in Seoul Round 3: Downpour forces cancellation of round 3 Round 4: Prom lifts maiden tour title by three Final Scores & Prize Money 'Big Dolphin' makes a splash in Order of Merit Choi looking for hat-trick in Seoul Wie aims to be a cut above at SK Telecom ASIAN GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Swedes sweep World Cup win Lin & Marksaeng near top 50 HK: Lin wins in 3-way playoff Asian Tour hits landmark 300 in HK Asian Tour releases 2009 schedule Report predicts 30% China golf growth GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Sweden win World Cup Internationals claim Lexus Cup Pampling wins in a playoff Choi wins Skins Game Amateur: EGU allow range finders

Vesconte leads as Wie battles to 70

Australia’s Adam Le Vesconte grabbed the first round lead at the US$600,000 SK Telecom Open with a seven-under-par 65 on Thursday but it was Michelle Wie who grabbed all the attention with a battling 70.

Vesconte, the reigning Philippine Open champion, edged two strokes ahead of Malaysia’s Ian Steel, Australian Brad Kennedy and local talent Lee Seung-ho at the Sky 72 Golf Club.

Teenage phenomenon Wie, who is only 16 and bidding for her first cut in eight starts against the men, fired four birdies against two bogeys for tied 28th position. Defending champion Choi Kyung-ju of Korea was in tied fifth place after a 68.

Vesconte, after a sluggish start to the season, got into the groove with eighth birdies against a lone bogey. “The result is a little bit out of the blue for me as I’ve been close to good form over the last four weeks but could not manage to make the cut,” said Vesconte.

The Aussie talent got off from the blocks with a birdie at the first hole but suffered his only bogey on the second. He recovered with birdies on the third and fifth holes before scorching the back nine with five birdies, thanks to some solid iron play. “Today it was one of those days where I got it close to the hole,” said Vesconte.

“I hit some good wedge shots and struck the ball inside of four feet most of the time. If I hit my wedge close then I can score well. It’s my first time here and I’m definitely happy to shoot seven under,” added Vesconte.

Despite catching the flu bug, the supremely talented Wie, who drew a large gallery, gave herself a realistic chance of making the halfway cut on Friday with a strong first round. Starting from the 10th, she birdied her opening hole and nailed another birdie from 13 feet on the 15th hole.

“I felt like I played good and bad. I made some putts where I had to,” said Wie, who dropped a bogey at the 17th hole.

Backed by the local fans, Wie, whose parents are Korean, fired two more birdies on the first and second that put her back on track before stumbling on the sixth hole for a bogey. “I was worried initially before I started because of my cold but I felt good overall. I enjoyed the attention and never felt nervous by the large crowd watching me play.

“I do not have a specific strategy for tomorrow but if I hit my irons well, I’ll be alright. My overall result depends on my condition which is getting better. I’d love to play well and put up a strong challenge. Whatever it is, I’ll have a calm and cool approach to the game,” she said.

Wie had the pleasure of outscoring playing partner Kim Dae-sub, the two-time Korean Open champion by one stroke, while Australian Terry Pilkadaris, who also played in the marquee group, fired a 69.

US PGA Tour star Choi, however, was on a roll with birdies at the first and third holes followed by three consecutive birdies at the fifth, sixth and seventh holes before dropping his only bogey at the 16th hole.

“Except for the bogey, everything was good today,” said Choi, a three-time winner in the US. “The wind here is unpredictable but I hope for a similar result tomorrow,” he said.

Malaysia's Steel, meanwhile, was solid with a bogey free round as he carded an impressive 67. “The weather was nice and perfect and all the pins were in the middle of the greens so it was there for the taking today,” said Steel, who turned 35 on Wednesday.

“I hit 13 out of 14 fairways, had a good run and was not scared of making mistakes. This is my best first round result on the Asian Tour and if everything remains the same, I hope to keep my rhythm.”

India's Jeev Milkha Singh, the current leader of the UBS Order of Merit, also started strongly with a 68, a score matched by Thailand's Chapchai Nirat, Korean Choi Sang-ho, last year's Maekyung Open winner, countryman Choy Hyu-jun, Korean amateurs Hur In-hoi and Maeng Dong-seop alongside Australian Adam Groom.

Leading first round scores

65 - Adam Le Vesconte (AUS)

67 - Lee Seong-ho (KOR), Iain Steel (MAS),Brad Kennedy (AUS)

68 - Chapchai Nirat (THA), Adam Groom (AUS), Choi Sang-ho (KOR), Cho Hyun-jun (KOR),

Mang Dong-sub [A] (KOR), K J Choi (KOR) , Jeev Milkha Singh (IND), Hur In-hoi [A] (KOR)

69 - David Oh (USA), Terry Pilkadaris (AUS), Lee Sung (KOR), Hwang In-choon (KOR), Prom Meesawat (THA), Kang Kyung-nam (KOR), Garth Mulroy (RSA), Lu Wei-chih (TPE), Ari Savolainen (FIN), Ron Won (USA), Adam Blyth (AUS), Gary Rusnak (USA), Kim Hyung-Tae (KOR), Rowan Beste (AUS), Lee Won-jun [A] (KOR)

70 - Moon Ji-wook (KOR), Michelle Wie (USA) , Mo Joong-kyung (KOR), Kim Hong-sik (KOR)

Park Jae-kyung (KOR), Mike Cunning (USA), Bryan Saltus (USA), Charlie Wi (KOR), Anthony Kang (USA), Yoo Jong-koo (KOR), Simon Nash (AUS), Scott Barr (AUS), Anthony Brown (AUS), Kim Kyu-hun (KOR), Choi Jin-ho (KOR), Jang Ik-jae (KOR), Choi Ho-sung (KOR), Bang Keuk-chun (KOR), Harmeet Kahlon (IND)