 Sorenstam has already won three LPGA Tour tournaments this season |
FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD:
-7 R Hetherington (Aus)
-4 M Kawasaki (Jpn)
-4 R Kitada (Jpn)
-4 B Lang (Jpn)
-4 J Granada (USA)
Selected others
-3 K Webb (Aus)
-1 A Sorenstam (Swe)
Annika Sorenstam opened her bid for a record sixth straight Mizuno Classic title with a one-under par 71 in Shima, Japan on Friday. The Swede ended six strokes behind Australian first-round leader Rachel Hetherington, who carded a round of 65.
Hetherington eagled the 13th to reach six under and responded after a bogey on 14 with birdies on holes 15 and 16.
Brittany Lang (USA) was three back with Julieta Granada (Paraguay) and Japanese Mitsuko Kawasaki and Rui Kitada.
Coming off a six-stroke victory in last week's Dubai Ladies Masters, Sorenstam birdied the par-five 13th to reach three under.
But she bogeyed the next two holes and closed with three pars on the Kashikojima Country Club course.
The 36-year-old has won the tournament the last four years on the Seta course in Otsu after taking the 2001 event at Musashigaoka.
Last year she became the first player in LPGA Tour history to win a tournament five straight times and matched the tour record she shares with Mickey Wright for victories in an event.
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