Park overcomes illness to card 66, take lead

The South Korean leads compatriot Young-A Yang by one stroke after the first round.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
VIENNA -- Friday morning, Gloria Park came close to withdrawing from the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic at Squaw Creek Country Club.
She's glad she didn't.
Park, a native of Seoul, South Korea, woke up with an upset stomach. She decided to play anyway and went out and fired a 6-under-par 66 to take a one-shot lead after the first round.
She holds the lead over South Korean Young-A Yang, who fired a 5-under 67. Another shot back is 15-year veteran Donna Andrews of Pinehurst, N.C., who shot a 4-under 68.
"I really considered withdrawing this morning after I woke up sick to my stomach," Park said. "Then I heard a couple of other players had already pulled out, so I thought I'd give it a try today.
"I really never expected to be in contention today, let alone in the lead, but I struck the ball well and my putting was pretty good," Park said.
10 birdies
The 24-year-old had a round that included 10 birdies, which she off-set by making two bogeys and a double bogey.
She finished with a flurry, making birdies on her final three holes.
"It's only the first day and I'm not getting too excited about it yet," Park said. "I like to be in a position where I'm one or two shots behind because I can keep my momentum going better, but I like where I'm at -- I just don't like to think about it."
The 25-year-old Yang, who has missed her last three cuts on tour and is 97th on the money list, is in her second full season on tour.
"I started out hot today and then was able to keep things going," Yang said.
She made four birdies in her first nine holes, then after her only bogey on the par-5 No. 2 hole (she started on the back side), she finished with two more birdies for her 67.
Andrews recovering from injury
Andrews, who is recovering from a dislocated shoulder, is playing in only her eighth event this year. Her round included six birdies and two bogeys. She made five of her birdies on the first nine holes.
"My golf game feels good for not having played much, my swing feels good," Andrews said. "I think I rebuilt it better after being hurt than it was before I got hurt."
Three golfers were deadlocked at 3-under-par 69, three shots behind the leader.
They are Laura Diaz of Amelia Island, Fla., Marilyn Loveander of Punta Gorda, Fla., and Nadina Taylor of Melbourne, Australia.
Taylor was at 4-under-par until she made bogey on the par-4, 18th hole to fall to 3-under.
Walker-Cooper gets ace
There was also a hole-in-one. Lee Ann Walker-Cooper of Cary, N.C., aced the par-3, 15th hole. It was the sixth hole-in-one in the tournament's history.
The cut of the top 70 players and any ties for the 70th spot will be made following today's round.
There are also 39 players who are trying to qualify for the LPGA's final major tournament the Weeabix British Open in two weeks. The top five finishers of those 39 players will earn a spot in the British Open.
mollica@vindy.com