Munoz,
Miyazato lead way at Mission Hills
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[April 01, 2016]
(Reuters) - Azahara Munoz burst out
of a form slump at an opportune time and Ai Miyazato's renaissance
continued at the ANA Inspiration on Thursday as the pair shared the
opening round lead in the first women's major of the year.
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Spain's Munoz and Japanese Miyazato each carded rounds of
five-under-67 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage,
California to share top spot, one clear of Scotland's Catriona
Matthew, South African Lee-Anne Pace and Japan's Shiho Oyama.
Munoz, who has failed to finish higher than 33rd this season and has
not recorded an LPGA top 10 since August last year, carded six
birdies but dropped back with a bogey on her final hole.
"Obviously one round is not going to completely change my confidence
but I am feeling good," Munoz told reporters. "I have actually been
playing really well and my scores haven't shown it at all. I think
it was just a matter of time until things started happening and it
did today. Hopefully it stays like that."
Miyazato, world number one back in 2010, sat 157th in the rankings
before finishing third last week at the Kia Classic.
The 30-year-old opened with four birdies in her opening six holes
and then tacked another onto her tally on the 18th to prove her
improvement in form was not a false dawn.
"I was really happy to play my game again. I was kind of struggling
the last few years but I got through," Miyazata said.
"I am still in the process but I know I am moving forward and I feel
good."
Ryann O’Toole, Gerina Piller and 2014 champion Lexi Thompson shared
top American honors with three-under-69s to be tied for sixth, while
world number one Lydia Ko rode a rollercoaster with four birdies and
two bogeys in a round of 70.
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"I was striking my irons and everything pretty good but I didn't hit
my driver very well especially on the back nine so I think that's
where my bogeys kind of came from," Ko admitted after taking a share
of 14th. "I gave myself quite a few looks up the hill for birdie but
I just wasn't able to commit to my speed and I left quite a few out
there that were on line but short. That's the last thing you want to
be doing.
"But a two under start to the first major of the year I am pretty
pleased with that."
Defending champion Brittany Lincicome settled for an even par 72.
(Reporting by Ben Everill in Los Angeles, Editing by Nick Mulvenney)
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