Three share first day honours

Grace Park had four straight birdies on the back nine in a 6-under 66 that put her in a tie for the lead with Kim Saiki and Silvia Cavalleri after Thursday's opening round of the LPGA Asahi Ryokuken International Championship.

Park was 4-under par after just six holes in the LPGA's final full-field event of the year. She was even sharper during a stretch coming in, using strong approach shots for the birdie run that started on No. 12.

When Park gave back a stroke on No. 17, she recovered with a slithery downhill 4-footer for birdie on the closing dogleg.

"I made a couple of mental errors that cost me a few strokes, but then came back strong," Park said. "I finished with the birdie, so I'm pleased."

Saiki got her first LPGA win at the Wegmans Rochester tournament in June and showed she was ready to contend again, chipping in for eagle on the par-5 16th at Mount Vintage Plantation.

Cavalleri needs a strong finish to keep her exempt Tour status for next year and also had an eagle down the stretch.

Michelle Estill, Becky Morgan and Joanne Morley were one stroke behind the leaders.

Park says she played well the past two weeks -- just not on tour.

Tired and burnt out from five straight tournaments, Park took a break before the Asahi Ryokuken. Instead of keeping honed with buckets of practice balls, Park went out for relaxing, goofball rounds with friends.

She would shoot 5 and 6 under "without even trying," she said. "And why not do the same thing at tournaments?"

Park's back-nine blitz began with a two-putt birdie from 30 feet on No. 12. She made a 5-footer for birdie on No. 13 and then a 7-foot birdie putt on No. 14. She closed the run by landing a 6-iron to 12 feet on the par-3 15th and making the putt.

"The course is in great shape and the greens are rolling well in conditions like today," Park said. "Perfect temperature. Last regular season tournament. Perfect opportunities."

Some of the best are the opportunities you let pass. Five months ago, the 38-year-old Saiki found herself discussing a golf teaching position with the PGA's Met Section in Westchester, N.Y. The interview was a success and Saiki was ready to put competition aside.

A strange thing followed. Saiki felt incredible calmness and peace of mind -- "It was good knowing that I could do something else and be OK with it," she said -- that turned into the best golf of her life. She won the Rochester event a month after her job interview, added a tie for fifth at the State Farm Classic last month and stands 24th on the money list with a career-best $437,328.

"I've actually been quite relaxed," she said.

On No. 16, Saiki rolled a 9-iron from about 70 feet to get to 6 under. That helped keep the teaching plans on hold.

"Things have changed a little bit," she said, smiling.

Cavalleri has struggled this year. At 101st on the money list, she's $16,393 out of the top 90 players who will be exempt for 2005. Three more rounds like this and Cavalleri won't have anything to worry about.

She moved to a shot of the lead when her 7-wood finished about 6 feet past the cup on 6 and she made the eagle putt. Two holes later, Cavalleri joined Park and Saiki with her final birdie.

Cavalleri worked with David Leadbetter in the last week on taking a straight, more athletic posture when approaching the ball. On Thursday, she said it worked like a charm.

"It's always good to get some confidence, even if it's the end of the year," she said.

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