WOMEN'S GOLF Mi Hyun Kim birdies her way to 65 and lead

Mi Hyun Kim of South Korea canned six straight birdies for the first-round lead in the Mizuno Classic.
OTSU, Japan (AP) -- Bidding for her third victory of the season, Mi Hyun Kim of South Korea made six straight birdies en route to a 7-under 65 Friday for the first-round lead in the Mizuno Classic.
She had seven birdies in eight holes in the LPGA event and held a one-stroke lead over compatriots Grace Park and Gloria Park and Japan's Chieko Amanuma.
"That's only the second time I've had six straight birdies," Kim said. "I've changed clubs recently and I'm starting to feel more comfortable, especially with the irons."
Kim is trying to win for the sixth time in four years on the tour. During a three-week span in July and August, she won the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic and Wendy's Championship for Children.
She began the birdie run on the par-3 fifth hole and rebounded from a par on No. 11 with a birdie at No. 12.
Kim hit a 6-iron within a foot on the par-3 fifth. On the next hole, she hit a wedge to 3 feet. On No. 8, she hit a 6-iron within a foot, and on the 180-yard No. 9 she hit a 7-wood to 2 feet.
Coming off victory
Grace Park is coming off a victory last week in the World Ladies Match Play Championship in Narita.
"I had such a great start, I'm playing well and feeling confident," she said. "I thought I was going to shoot 15 under the way I started. Then my swing kind of went away a little, but I still made some good saves for par on the back side. I'm very happy."
Canada's Lorie Kane, who won this event in 2000, was two strokes behind at 67 along with Japan's Hiromi Kobayashi and South Korea's Woo-Soon Ko.
South Korea's Se Ri Pak, a five-time winner this season, topped an eight-player group at 68, and defending champion Annika Sorenstam opened with a 69 on the Seta course.
Sorenstam, coming off a first-round loss to Amanuma last week in Narita, has nine LPGA Tour victories and 11 worldwide titles in 23 events this year. The Swede leads the LPGA Tour money list with a record $2,479,404. Pak is second with $1,612,518.
The top 30 players on the money list after the tournament advance to the season-ending ADT Championship on Nov. 21-24 in West Palm Beach, Fla.