February 7, 2012  Print Email | Nail-biting tie at HSBC Champions
Ochoa lags behind
Posted by Agencies at 10:13 AM GMT on Mar 05, 2009 | SINGAPORE (AFP): Paula Creamer, Angela Park and Jane Park were neck-and-neck in the lead at the HSBC Women's Champions today, as world number one Lorena Ochoa lagged dangerously two strokes behind.
On a lightning-interrupted opening day, ailing world number three Creamer gritted her teeth to stroke a 67 despite feeling sick and achy as she attempts to go better than her third place finish last year.
Joining her at five under par were fellow American Jane Park and Brazil's Angela Park. They all lie one in front of Japan's resurgent Ai Miyazato and South Korea's Lee Seon-Hwa, who was leading when lightning forced the players off the Tanah Merah course mid-afternoon.
It clearly rattled the world number 10, who hit two bogeys in her final three holes on her return to scupper any chance she had of being outright leader.
Defending champion Ochoa, whose electric form here last year saw her win by an astonishing 11 strokes from Annika Sorenstam, fired a steady round of 69 to be tied for sixth with a group of four other players.
The Mexican, who won her opening event of the season last weekend in Thailand, went to the turn at one under and ground out two more birdies in the race to the clubhouse. But it was a disappointing day for Taiwan's Tseng Yani, the world number two, who struggled to a 72 to be five adrift of the leaders.
The tournament, with two million dollars in prize money, is the biggest and richest women's event staged in the region.
Only winners on the LPGA Tour, and champions from the Ladies European Tour and tours in Japan, South Korea, Australasia and Asia were eligible.
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