Solheim pick Lang surges two ahead in
Alabama
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[August 28, 2015]
(Reuters) - Three days after earning
a captain's pick for the Solheim Cup, Brittany Lang proved the value of
her selection by seizing a two-shot lead in Thursday's opening round of
the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic in Prattville, Alabama.
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The 30-year-old, chosen as a wildcard along with Paula Creamer by
U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster, fired a superb
seven-under-par 65 in ideal scoring conditions on the Senator Course
at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
Lang, who tied for second at the 2009 Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic,
birdied five of her first seven holes before ending the day two
ahead of fellow Americans Ryann O'Toole, Tiffany Joh and Sydnee
Michaels.
American world number three Stacy Lewis, tournament champion in 2012
and a runner-up last year, launched her bid for a first LPGA victory
in 14 months with an opening 70.
"It was just one of those days, it was so enjoyable," Lang told
reporters after soaring to the top of the leaderboard with nine
birdies and two bogeys.
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"I wasn't thinking about a whole lot. I was just super committed to
seeing my shots, it was so much fun."
"I played pretty flawless golf. Even when I was making pars, I was
burning the edge from 10 feet. Every hole I was right there."
Lang was delighted that she rebounded from her only bogeys of the
day, at the 13th and 14th, with consecutive birdies from the 16th.
"The birdies on 16 and 17 were pretty big after the bogeys ... not
stupid bogeys, small misses, but I stayed aggressive so I was
excited with that," she said.
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"I had one of my better years I've ever had and the Solheim pick's
over with. I'm just in a really comfortable place, so I just felt
really relaxed out there."
Lang has triumphed only once on the LPGA Tour, at the 2012 Manulife
Financial LPGA Classic where she edged out South Koreans Chella
Choi, Park In-bee and Seo Hee-kyung in a four-way playoff.
South Korean Hur Mi-jung, who set a tournament record with a
21-under winning total last year, launched her title defense with a
two-over 74.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg
Stutchbury)
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