SINGAPORE — Spain's Azahara Munoz shot a 7-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the HSBC Women's Champions Thursday. Munoz, playing in the first group of the day, made seven birdies in a blemish-free round to top the leaderboard boasting a star-studded field at Sentosa Golf Club that includes 17 of the top 20 players in the world. Five players were in a share of second place at 5-under 67 — Stacy Lewis, Karin Sjodin, Lizette Salas, Pornanong Phatlum and Sun Young Yoo. Paula Creamer was a stroke back at 4-under 68, despite struggling with a right shoulder injury sustained in a car accident in Thailand Sunday. Creamer was in a four-way tie for seventh with top-ranked Yani Tseng of Taiwan, Danielle Kang and Chella Choi. Paula Creamer was a stroke back at 4-under 68 despite struggling with a right shoulder injury sustained in a five-car accident on the way to the airport after the Honda LPGA tournament in Thailand Sunday. Creamer was in a four-way tie for seventh with top-ranked Yani Tseng, Danielle Kang and Chella Choi. The 25-year-old Munoz is coming off her strongest season on tour, winning her first title at the Sybase Match Play Championship and notching nine top-10 finishes. The Spaniard said she plays well when she's first out on the course in the morning. “I don't know what it is but my best three rounds on tour have been first tee time,” she said. “I really like it. You don't have to wait, it's super nice, the greens are perfect. I think it gets me going.” Tseng, a five-time major winner, was five shots off the lead before sinking a 25-foot putt for eagle on the 18th hole to jump up the leaderboard. Tseng hasn't won a tournament in nearly a year, but she has started the 2013 season strongly, finishing second at the Australian Open and tied for third at Thailand last weekend. She said she made a bet with her manager, Naya Hsu, Thursday morning to try to motivate herself to play better. If she scored a 68 or better, Hsu agreed to go skydiving with her in Hawaii. “When that putt dropped in, I was so happy,” Tseng said. “I was looking for her. I saw her face, I think she's going to cry. “I think it feels good because I haven't had that feeling for a long time,” she said. Creamer was just happy to be on the course at all after her accident. Two other players, Ai Miyazato and Suzann Pettersen, also suffered minor injuries in the crash in Thailand. Miyazato pulled out of the HSBC Champions Wednesday, citing stiffness in her back, neck and shoulder. Creamer said she jammed her shoulder when she hit the dashboard of the car and suffered whiplash after slamming her head off the headrest. Second-ranked Na Yeon Choi, who is trying to close in on Tseng's No. 1 ranking, shot a 3-under 69 to finish in a share of 11th place. American Michelle Wie, South Korean Jiyai Shin and Australian Karrie Webb were two shots back at 1-under 71. Pettersen had three bogeys and finished in a share of 44th place at 1-over 73. Defending champion Angela Stanford also struggled on the Serapong course, hitting a quadruple bogey on the par-4 13th hole en route to a 4-over 76. Fichardt holds lead Darren Fichardt birdied four of his last six holes Thursday to shoot a 7-under 65 and hold the clubhouse lead by two strokes in the opening round of the Tshwane Open. The South African lives only about 10 minutes from the Copperleaf Golf and Country Estate course and is aiming to capture back-to-back tournaments, having won the Africa Open at East London two weeks ago for his fourth European Tour title. The 93rd-ranked Fichardt says “the swing is good and I'm putting well, and this golf course is awesome — it's very fair.” Jeev Milka Singh, Gary Lockerbie and Mark Tullo are next. Simon Dyson, the highest ranked player in the tournament at No. 83, shot a 77. — Agencies
