BEIJING, Oct 3: South Korean Choi Na-Yeon and American Jessica Korda shot sizzling nine-under par 64s on Thursday to share the lead in the first round of the inaugural Reignwood LPGA Classic.

The $1.8 million competition — the LPGA’s first in China — is being played at the par-73 Jack Nicklaus-designed Reignwood Pine Valley Golf Club near Beijing.

Tied in third place at five under par 68 were Seo Hee-Kyung and Park Hee-Young, both of South Korea, as well as Stacy Lewis of the United States.

Another eight golfers were jammed at 69, including China’s Ye Liying, England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, Colombia’s Paola Moreno and South Korea’s Park In-Bee, the world number one-ranked women’s player.

The Ladies Professional Golf Association is holding the tournament in conjunction with the China Golf Association and China LPGA.

The 81-player field includes a total of 18 Chinese golfers. Feng Shanshan, who won the Wegmans LPGA Championship last year, was one of seven golfers tied for 14th place with a three-under par 70.

Leading first-round scores:

64 — Choi Na-Yeon (KOR), Jessica Korda (USA)

68 — Seo Hee-Kyung (KOR), Stacy Lewis (USA), Park Hee-Young (KOR)

69 — Ye Liying (CHN), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (ENG), Paola Moreno (COL), Jane Park (USA), Carlota Ciganda (ESP), Anna Nordqvist (SWE), Amy Yang (KOR), Park In-Bee (KOR).—AFP