Yim & Kang lead with 64s

Rookie Sung Ah Yim and Soo-Yun Kang each shot 8-under 64s for a one-stroke lead over Rosie Jones and defending champion Hee-Won Han after the first round of the Safeway Classic on Friday.

Yim had six birdies on the front nine, leading to the best round of her first LPGA season. The 21-year-old from South Korea, who has two top-10 finishes this year, made a 35-foot chip shot to birdie the par-4 fourth hole.

``It's my best score, 8-under, and I feel good today,'' Yim said. ``My shot is really perfect. Not much missed today.''

Jones, who plans to retire from playing full-time next year, shot a 7-under 65, as did Han, who last year beat Lorie Kane on the first playoff hole at Columbia Edgewater Country Club.

Australian Wendy Doolan, Laura Diaz, Aree Song were two shots back at 66 after the first round's conclusion.

Jeong Jang, who had not won in 5 1/2 years on the LPGA Tour until her victory last month in the British Open, had six birdies for a 30 on the front nine to finish the day at 5 under, as did rookie phenom Paula Creamer, Amy Hung, Gloria Park, Natalie Gulbis and Pat Hurst.

Luciana Bemvenuti had a share of the lead going into the 18th hole, but double-bogeyed and was penalized two strokes to fall to 4-under.

Jones did not make the cut at Royal Birkdale, making Friday's low round all the sweeter. The 45-year-old smiled broadly as she walked off the par-4 18th hole -- which she birdied -- and a fan exclaimed ``Nice going, Rosie!''

``There's still a lot of us veterans out here who play really well,'' she said.

Jones' best finish this season was second at the Nabisco Championship behind Annika Sorenstam, who decided not to play in the Safeway Classic this year.

The Portland event is one of six full-field events remaining on the LPGA schedule and one of two tournaments before the U.S. Solheim Cup team is named.

The official word will come Aug. 28 after the Wendy's Championship in Dublin, Ohio. Cristie Kerr is top in Solheim Cup points, followed by veterans Meg Mallon and Juli Inkster. Jones is fourth, while Creamer ranks eighth.

The top 10 players qualify for the team, and captain Nancy Lopez gets two additional choices.

Creamer, who turned 19 earlier this month, won last week in the NEC Karuizawa, making her first appearance in a Japanese LPGA event. She has won twice on the LPGA Tour this season and has already surpassed $1 million on the money list.

``I made some good shots and I made some good saves today,'' she said. ``And there's still two days left.''

Creamer made a 25-yard flop shot for an eagle on the No. 5 hole.

Because of scheduling conflicts, Sorenstam wasn't among those playing the 6,327-yard, par-72 course, where she won in 2002 and 2003.

Last year Han birdied the 18th hole at Columbia Edgewater to pull even with Kane, then birdied the same hole again to win the playoff for her third LPGA title.

The field of 144 included 23-year-old Birdie Kim, the South Korean who halted Sorenstam's Grand Slam bid by winning the U.S. Women's Open with a bunker shot on the final hole that dropped for birdie.

The field will be cut after the second round on Saturday.

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