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The 28-year-old had a stellar amateur career
before turning professional in 2010 yet she remains without a
victory on the LPGA Tour, a statistic that could be eradicated
if she maintains her opening round form at the 63-player
limited-field event.
Song's round started slowly with two birdies on her outward nine
but the American caught fire coming in, picking up five shots in
eight holes on the New Tanjong Course to sit two clear of fellow
American Michelle Wie and South Korea's Ji Eun-hee.
"At times it has been a great struggle because I know I can win
out here, but I just never have been given that chance yet,"
Song told reporters of her long wait for a title.
"But I kept believing that some day, it will happen. I think
that's the reason why myself and other golfers are still
grinding because we believe that we can win out here.
"I think that's what keeps us going and I don't know, I can't
expect anything ahead of time, so I'll just let things go day by
day and just see how things unfold."
Last week's winner Jessica Korda sits three shots off the pace
in a group of nine players who all fired four-under 68s,
including major winners Ariya Jutanugarn, Chun In-gee, Danielle
Kang and Park Sung-hyun.
Defending champion Park In-bee had a round to forget, the
Korean's hopes of recording a third win in four years at the
Sentosa Golf Club not helped by a first-round 73, her one-over
total leaving her tied for 41st on a day of low scoring.
Wie, still searching for her first win since her 2014 U.S. Open
triumph, also fired seven birdies in her five-under 67 but a
bogey-five on the last scuppered her chances of sitting just one
off the lead heading into the second round.
"I just misread my putts on the last hole, so I feel really good
about it. I just had a really tough lie for my second shot there
unfortunately, but can't complain with a five-under first
round," the 28-year-old said.
"Felt like I placed myself in a good position today, so
hopefully the next three days, make my birdies. I three-putted
twice today, so no more of that."
(Reporting by John O'Brien; Editing by Toby Davis)
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