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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Michelle Wie watched her shot on the fifth hole during the first round of the Evian Masters in France.
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France » Morgan Pressel birdied the first three holes and finished with a 6-under 66 yesterday to lead after the first round of the Evian Masters.
Melissa Reid of England and Sun-Ju Ahn of South Korea each birdied the last hole to join her in the lead.
Honolulu’s Michelle Wie rallied from a rough start to finish with a 4-under-par 68.
Wie, a Punahou School and Stanford alum, carded bogeys on two of her first six holes. But she birdied the next three to make the turn at 1-under 35. She added three more birdies along with six pars on the back nine.
She is tied for sixth place with six other golfers.
Pressel started on the back nine and her birdie streak ended with a bogey on No. 13.
"It was a very solid day," Pressel said. "The only fairway I missed was on the last hole, and it was because it kind of got a weird bounce. I hit 15 greens. I felt like I was striking the ball well and gave myself a lot of chances."
Song-Hee Kim and M.J. Hur of South Korea were a stroke behind the leaders.
Defending champion Ai Miyazato of Japan was three shots behind the leaders after a 69, along with Suzann Pettersen and Angela Stanford.
Wie played a day after cutting short her pro-am round because of heat exhaustion. Wie said she was pleased with her round, even though she felt "a little tired."
Brittany Lincicome shot a 70, while Helen Alfredsson, Paula Creamer and Juli Inkster finished at 71.
