KAPOLEI, OAHU, Hawaii Mardi Lunn thought she had gotten off to a rough start in the Sunrise Hawaiian Ladies Open today when she knocked her second shot into the rough.

But the Australian recovered to make her par and then go onto a 6-under-par 66 and a one-stroke lead over Michelle McGann after the first round of the 54-hole tournament.

Cindy McCurdy, Maria Hjorth, Vickie Odegard, Michelle Redman and Wendy Doolan were two strokes behind at 68.

Pat Hurst, No. 8 on the LPGA money list last year, was among those at 69, one stroke ahead of 1996 winner Meg Mallon and Japan LPGA players Kaori Harada and Aki Takamura.

Kelly Robbins, who has won a tournament at least once over the last six years, was at 72. Defending champion Wendy Ward and Se Ri Pak, who made her LPGA debut in this tournament a year ago before going on to winning two majors, were at 73.

In putting together her bogey-free card, Lunn, who's professional victories have come in Asia and Europe, credited a different approach to the LPGA season for her early success. After four events, she is one-third of the way to matching her 1998 earnings of $72,000.

"I came out early (from Australia), on New Year's Day, and practised until the tournaments started in Florida,'' she said. "I worked pretty hard, which I had never done before.

"I usually came over after a three-month holiday and tried to play. The new approach is starting to show now.''

Her score could have been much better.

"I hit a lot of greens, a lot of fairways and I hit them close,'' Lunn said. "I missed four putts inside 10 feet.

"That's the key. Keep out of the roughs around the greens to give yourself a chance and position yourself on the green.''

McGann, trying to make a comeback after a six-year run as one of the top players on the Tour, got some off-the-course help in fashioning her game.

With encouragement from the reigning Miss America, McGann, a diabetic, took a step in making her return with her 67. She is 61st on the money list this year, but she is comfortable with her start -- thanks in part to Nicole Johnson.

"I talked to Miss America on Friday and she is on the insulin pump,'' McGann said. "Her travel schedule is far worse than mine could ever be.

"So I'm going on the insulin pump next week and take three weeks off so my body can adjust to it.''

With the wind kicking up to 30 miles an hour in the afternoon, only 18 of the 72 late starters played under par, compared to 28 morning players.

The tournament, which carries a $650,000 purse, is being held at the Kapolei Golf Course, and is sponsored by Sunrise Co., a pet products company in Japan.