Golf-Unheralded trio share lead at LPGA Championship

June 7 | Fri Jun 8, 2012 1:37am BST

June 7 (Reuters) - An unheralded trio shared the lead after the first round of the LPGA Championship on Thursday as Spain's Beatriz Recari, Giulia Sergas of Italy and American Ryann O'Toole posted three-under-par 69s in the first round of the major championship.

With one career victory among them, they upstaged more familiar names in the field at the Locust Hill Country Club, including last year's winner and world number one Yani Tseng, who struggled to a four-over-par 76.

Tseng, who felt tightness in her left wrist and received some massage treatment before her round, won last year's championship in Pittsford, New York by 10 strokes but found herself seven back after the opening round.

Recari, who recorded a victory in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour in 2010, posted her score among the early starters and saw it hold up with only fellow 25-year-old O'Toole and 32-year-old Sergas matching it.

By contrast with the other two, Sergas had a rollercoaster of a round, balancing three bogeys with three birdies through her first 14 holes before finishing strongly with birdies at the 15th, 16th and 18th holes to join them at three under par.

Seven players were tied for fourth place just one shot back, including 2010 champion Cristie Kerr of the United States who won at Locust Hill by a massive 12 strokes.

Joining Kerr at two-under-par 70 were American Paula Creamer, South Korean world number two Choi Na-yeon and her compatriots Pak Se-ri, Jang Jeong, as well as Japanese Ai Miyazato and Mika Miyazato.

Six more players were another shot back at 71, two off the pace, including former winner Suzann Pettersen of Norway.

(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York, editing by Nick Mulvenney)

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