75
Japan’s Ai Miyazato has set her sights on reclaiming her No. 1 status.
Miyazato shot a 6-under 66 yesterday for the first-round lead at the Safeway Classic at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club west of Portland.
Miyazato had a one-stroke lead on Teresa Lu of Taiwan and Jee Young Lee of South Korea.
Miyazato is in a five-way battle for the world’s top ranking. American Cristie Kerr is currently No. 1, followed by Miyazato, Jiyai Shin of South Korea, Suzann Pettersen of Norway and Yani Tseng of Taiwan.
"It’s really fun, really exciting because the top five players all represent different countries, so it’s really a good motivator for me," Miyazato said.
In a changing of the guard since the retirement of Lorena Ochoa earlier this year, Miyazato, Kerr and Shin have traded the top ranking six times in the past three months.
"Even though it was just for two weeks, I was so very happy," Miyazato said about her time on top. "I was happy because I experienced something that I never really experienced before, and so it will just be really good for my future as my career goes on."
Hawaii’s Michelle Wie shot an even-par 72 to sit in a tie for 29th with 14 other golfers.
