Moodie takes one shot lead

Janice Moodie's opening 67 put her a stroke up on the field in the opening round of the Takefuji Classic today, but look who's a shot behind: Karrie Webb.

Not only is Moodie trying to fend off the LPGA Tour's player of the year, but Annika Sorenstam, the winner of two majors, shares second with Webb, 1997 LPGA Championship winner Chris Johnson, and Jill McGill.

For good measure, Laura Davies, who has four majors to her credit, is in a group at 3-under-par 69.

Moodie put together six birdies and a bogey, for which she scolded herself.

"I should have pitched it,'' she said of her botched attempt at the 414-yard 13th hole of the 6,257-yard Kona Country Club course. The bogey interrupted a run of three birdies.

Webb, who is perfect 3-for-3 in tournaments this year, bogeyed her final hole to fall a stroke behind. Sorenstam joined the race with birdies on the last two holes, and McGill put together four birdies on the back nine for a 68.

Unfamiliarity with the course on the island of Hawaii may have contributed to less than half of the 132 player field posting red numbers.

"It's a little longer than most of the courses we're accustomed to playing," Johnson said. "When I look at my card, often I'll have used only two or three clubs at 5-iron and above. Today, I had six holes that I used the 5-iron and longer.

"And I'm one of the longer hitters in tour, so that tells you a lot. We're playing some long par-4s out there, which is good.

"And the greens are really difficult, especially if you need to get up and down. You have to pay attention."

Mhairi McKay turned in the most adventurous round in climbing onto the leaderboard. She had seven birdies and four bogeys in a 68.

"It's nice to come to a course where everyone is starting on the same footing," she said. "It's just something you have to get used to.

"Usually, you go to a course after a couple of years and in the practice rounds, you start to remember shots and things like that.

"Here, it's a learning process as each day passes."

The 54-hole tournament, which carries a purse of $800,000, is in its first year and is sponsored by Takefuji Corp., a consumer finance company in Japan.

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