Kristal Parker-Gregory,
thinking positively without any real track record to back it up, was inspired
by a European in the Ryder Cup to shoot the lowest round of her pro career today.
Parker-Gregory shot an
8-under-par 64 for a three-stroke lead after the first round of the inaugural
New Albany Golf Classic.
"I've
been hitting it close for the past two months and unfortunately the putter has
let me down," she said. "I was at home last week watching the Ryder Cup on television
and I saw Sergio Garcia putting. I noticed he was standing a little more upright
and with the ball a little more forward."
Parker-Gregory duplicated his stroke and switched to a shorter putter -- and posted
eight birdies without a bogey. She even missed three birdie putts of 6 feet or
less.
Parker-Gregory,
born in nearby Columbus, birdied the first three holes at New Albany Country Club
and didn't let up. She capped her round with 12- and 18-foot birdie putts for
only her fifth sub-70 score this year in 33 rounds.
"Tempo
and trust," she said. "I was just being committed to every shot."
Parker-Gregory, who received a sponsor's exemption, was the 141st player in the
144-player field. But this week she received a new book from a sports psychologist
she had worked with and it caused her to think positive thoughts.
Asked if she could continue to play so well, she said, "If I keep the same mental
game, I think I'm capable of it. It's like they always say, 'One shot at a time'
and 'Stay in the present.' That's what it's all about. I did a good job of that
today."
Mardi Lunn,
who holed a 171-yard 2-iron for an eagle on the seventh hole, was three shots
back after a 67.
Hall of Famer Beth Daniel, Annika Sorenstam, Vicki Fergon and Nancy Harvey all
came in with 68s. Karrie Webb, seeking her seventh victory of the season, led
five golfers at 69.
The 72-hole tournament, with a $1 million purse in its first season, opened with
a bang. Playing in consecutive groups, Ohio State grad Meg Mallon and Leslie Spalding
aced the 130-yard 14th hole. Each used a 7-iron.
Parker-Gregory lives part of the year in Cable, population 175, about 45 miles
from the course. Her playing time this year was limited because she and her husband
had a son in January and she lost her exempt status. She has collected only six
checks all season for $39,505. Her best finish, a tie for 14th, also came in Ohio
after getting a sponsor's exemption into the Firstar in Dayton two months ago.
She stayed with an aunt
who lives 5 minutes away and was followed around the course by 15 relatives and
friends.
"They need
to move the temperatures up," she said, explaining why more fans didn't follow
her on the windy, wet, 60-degree day.
Parker-Gregory birdied five holes on the front nine despite missing a 3-foot birdie
putt at the fifth and a 4-footer at the eighth hole.
She hit a 7-iron to 10 feet at the first hole, a 6-iron to 4 feet at No. 2 and
then rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at the third hole. At No. 9, she nearly holed
a 7-iron approach for eagle, settling for a tap-in birdie.
"I
felt like there was more freedom and I was seeing the line to the hole," she said.
"I just felt more comfortable."
Lunn, who picked up her first career victory last month in Sutton, Mass., had
a share of the lead at 6-under until three-putting from 30 feet on her last hole.
She didn't know she had
eagled the seventh hole until she got close to the green. She said the sparse
gallery didn't even acknowledge the shot.
"There
were only about eight people around the green," she said. "But you'd think at
least one of them would do something."
