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In the Pak Rookie Yoneyama leads Gunze Cup; Se Ri one back
Posted: Thursday May 06, 1999 02:25 PM
INAGI, Japan (AP) -- Rookie Midori Yoneyama fired a 3-under-par 69 Thursday to stand one stroke ahead of Se Ri Pak and two others after the opening round of the $500,000 Gunze Cup World Ladies. The 22-year-old Yoneyama, whose best career finish has been a tie for seventh, sank four birdies against a lone bogey at the 6,414-yard (5,837-meter), par-72 Tokyo Yomiuri Country Club course. "Tee to green was pretty solid today," said Yoneyama. "And my caddie was good in reading greens and reading putts." Pak, the 21-year-old South Korean who won two major titles last year as a U.S. LPGA Tour rookie, offset a bogey at the par-3 second hole with a birdie at the par-4 seventh. On the back nine she birdied two more par-4 holes -- the 10th and the 16th. "I feel like I played OK, hitting some good drives and iron shots," said Pak. "And I feel like I'm playing on a home course even though this is only second time that I compete in Japan." Pak once competed in an amateur tournament in Japan a few years ago. "I think it's because I found a lot of friends and acquaintances watching me play out there today," she added. Pak missed only one fairway off the tee and was consistently out-driving her playing partner Michiko Hattori, known in Japan as a long hitter herself. Hattori, the Japan LPGA Tour's leading money winner last season, shot a 73. Pak said she is going to perform better although she has failed to finish in the top 10 so far this year. "Nothing has changed with my swing. ...I'm just playing the way I did." Unheralded Kotomi Akiyama and Kaori Kono shared second place with Pak.
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