Katherine Hull Leads ADT, Annika 6 Back

My JV football coach frequently told us saps to "Get our rears in gear". Of course this was the same coach that told me I ran like I was carrying a piano. Annika Sorenstam is 6 shots off the pace at the ADT Championship and she needs to get her rear in gear to avoid flaming out in the last LPGA event of her storied career.

Katherine Hull, coming off a 4th and a 2nd in her last two starts, leads the pack with a 68, a round that featured six birdies. She leads by one over In-Kyung Kim and Ji-Yai Shin, both with 69s. The trio of Na Yeon Choi, Ji Eun-Hee, and Ji Young Oh are knotted in 3rd with matching 70s. Christina Kim, Karen Stupples, and Paula Creamer finish the under par set with -1, 71s.

Sorenstam needs a great round on Friday to avoid the cut that lops off the field of 32 to 16. “I was a little nervous. I feel like I’m playing good. I’m excited about the week,” Sorenstam said. “But I’m telling you, nothing went my way today. You just have to be patient, just fairways and greens,” she added, “It’s worked in the past for me, so I’m not really going to change it. I just have to make a few more putts.”

Notables inhabited the lower portion of the standings. Lorena Ochoa stood T26 after a 75. Cristie Kerr was T29, tied for last after a 78.

Hull said she planned to stick with her game plan and have fun. Hard to argue after day #1.

Til' next,

*Average Golfer Quote of the Day. When asked what she thought of the difficult ADT course set up, Ji-Yai Shin deadpanned, “I think it’s very tough, it is, I think, very funny. Yeah, very funny.”