Ernst leads LPGA, Ko atop Park in fight for top spot

Austin Ernst of USA plays a shot on the 16th hole of the Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, USA. (AFP/Sam Greenwood)

NAPLES, USA: American Austin Ernst, seeking only her second LPGA title, fired a six-under 66 on Thursday (Nov 19) to grab a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the season-ending Tour Championship.

And while the 23-year-old world number 53 was charging to the lead, New Zealand teen star Lydia Ko fired a 69 to help tighten her grip on the world number one ranking ahead of South Korean Park In-Bee, who opened on 71 to share 22nd.

Park must finish 12th or better to have a chance of swiping the year-end top spot from Ko, the defending champion who took the season points bonus and the title last year for a record $1.5 million payday.

Ernst has barely cracked the million-dollar mark in her three LPGA seasons, with her lone crown coming at last year's Portland Classic, but she found form with her streaky putter on Thursday to put herself atop the leaderboard.

"There were still two or three putts I feel like I should have made, but to be able to shoot 6 and say that is a step in the right direction," Ernst said. "It has been a little streaky. I have been up and down with the putter. I had eight birdies today. When I get around like that with the putter, that's when I have good weeks."

Ernst has four top-10 efforts this season, including a share of second at the Yokohama Tire Classic in August, where she adopted a claw putting style.

A birdie-birdie finish boosted Ernst to the lead by one stroke over South Korean Lee Mi-Hyang with South Korean Kim Sei-Young and Americans Jennifer Song, Cristie Kerr, Jaye Marie Green, Brittany Lincicome and Gerina Piller sharing third on 68.

Ernst put her approach at the par-5 17th three feet from the cup to set up a birdie and blasted a 5-wood 192 yards to within inches of the hole at 18. "The crowd got really loud," Ernst said. "It rolled right over the edge. It felt nice to finish with a tap-in birdie."

Ko, the 18-year-old Kiwi wonder who has five wins this season, captured her first major title at the Evian Championship in France.

Ko took a bogey at the par-3 fifth but birdied the par-5 sixth and added birdies at the par-3 12th and par-5 14th and 17th holes to join a pack on 69 with American Alison Lee and South Koreans I.K. Kim and Jang Ha Na.

Park took a bogey at the par-5 first hole but opened the back nine with a birdie and also birdied 17 to crack par in round one. A victory would give her the top ranking spot no matter where Ko finishes.