Three tied for lead on first day

Three players struggling with their games shot 5-under-par 66s to share the 1st-round lead in the ShopRite LPGA Classic today.

Janice Moodie, Jackie Gallagher-Smith and Michelle Estill held a one-shot lead over Sophie Gustafson, Barb Mucha and Cindy McCurdy after a round in which none of the tour's more well-known players challenged for the lead.

Juli Inkster, who won last week's LPGA Championship, and defending champion Se Ri Pak both had 70s on the 6,051-yard Bay Course at the Seaview Marriott Resort.

Donna Andrews, battling to overcome injuries sustained in separate horse-riding and automobile accidents last year, headed a group tied at 68.

Pat Hurst, seventh in the money earnings race, headlined another pack at 69.

``It's just fun to be here and near the top,'' said Estill, a 37-year-old whose only win came during her rookie season in 1991. ``After being out here 10 years I know that there is a lot of golf out there still to be played.''

Estill has missed the cut in seven of the 14 events this year. She had only one round in the 60s before Friday, and her best finish was a tie for 26th place.

That form changed as she had seven birdies and two bogeys playing in the second grouping of the day. Six of the birdies were less than six feet in length, while bad chips led to the bogeys.

``I hit the ball good and I really didn't have too many putts,'' Estill said after grabbing a share of the lead for the first time in two years. ``I had 25 today, which is about 10 less than I normally do.''

Putting has been her biggest problem this year.

Estill quipped she played so well earlier this week in the pro-am ``that I had a glass of wine that night to make sure I was still alive.''

Moodie, who tied for second in Los Angeles early this year, has struggled since the end of April, posting one tie for 11th and nothing else better than a tie for 23rd. She has never won on the tour.

The 27-year-old native of Scotland had six birdies ranging in length from a foot to 20 feet. The final three came on the last three holes. She had one three-putt bogey.

``I just think I'm coming out of a midseason slump,'' said Moodie, playing in her fifth straight tournament. ``I've been working on a few things. It's a long, long season and you get to the point where you just need to go see your coach and take a week off to get back on track.''

Gallagher-Smith, who has missed the cut in eight of 16 events, including three of the last four weeks, said staying with friends in the Atlantic City area has helped her relax.

``My friends, my husband and my caddie just keep saying that I have to believe in myself and go out with a good attitude,'' said the sister of touring pros Jim and Jeff Gallagher.

Gallagher-Smith, whose only win since joining the tour came last year, had only four rounds in the 60s and her best finish was a tie for 13th in May.

She jump-started her round by making a 15-foot birdie on the par-4, 407-yard No. 2, one of the toughest on the course located on Reed Bay.

``I try to have fun and it is even more fun to see the ball go in the hole because it has not happened too often this year,'' Gallagher-Smith said.

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