Defending champ Choi leads LPGA Malaysia

(AP) Defending champ Choi leads LPGA Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia
Defending champion Na Yeon Choi took a two-stroke lead Friday in the LPGA Malaysia, shooting a 4-under 67 to reach 10 under.

The U.S. Women’s Open winner in July for her first major title and only victory of the year, Choi was 11 under after birdies on Nos. 12 and 13. The South Korean player bogeyed the par-3 17th and closed with a par at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

American Sydnee Micheals was second after a 65. Norway’s Suzann Pettersen shot a 64 _ the best round of the day _ to match American Lizette Salas and Japan’s Momoko Ueda and Mika Miyazato at 7 under. Salas and Ueda shot 67, and Miyazato had a 69.

Australia’s Karrie Webb, tied with Choi for the first-round lead after a 65, had a 71 to drop into a tie for seventh at 6 under. American Paula Creamer also was in the group at 6 under after a 67.

Min Lee, the 17-year-old Taiwanese amateur who opened with a 66, was 3 under after a 73.

Michelle Wie was 5 over after a 72.

Top-ranked Yani Tseng followed her opening 78 with a 72, leaving her tied for 62nd at 8 over in the 70-player field. The Taiwanese star has struggled after winning three times in the first five events of the season.

American Morgan Pressel was 69th at 20 over with rounds of 79 and 83.

The tournament opens the tour’s four-event Asian swing. The HanaBank Championship is next week in South Korea, followed by stops in Taiwan and Japan.