Se-Ri Tied for Lead, ``Go forward Sixth Victory``

Pak Se-Ri (Samsung Electronics) made a strong move toward her second consecutive win and the season`s sixth win, forestalling her rival Annika Sorenstam in the first round contest.

Shooting four birdies and 2 bogeys, Pak Se-Ri finished the first round of the Samsung World Championship at two-under-par 70 to share the lead with the 2000 rookie of the year Delasin (US). With the purse of 750,000 dollars, the Samsung World Championship is being held at the Hiddenbrooke Golf Club (par 72), Vallejo, California.

Teeing off in the same group with Pak, Sorenstam was 5 shots behind until the sixteenth hole, but finished the day three shots behind the leader with a birdie in the final hole to share the seventh place (one-over-par 73).

In the first round, the players had to struggle against the harsh weather. The whimsical gusting winds (24-40 km/h) have tormented the 20 top-ranking participants all day, allowing only five players to finish under par.

Particularly, the players, who participated in the first round in short sleeve t-shirt and short pants because of the hot weather from the previous day, had to play uncomfortably wearing raincoat, as the temperature fell down to 11 degree centigrade.

It was because of the very flurrying winds that Pak bogeyed in the last par-5 18th hole (497 yards), in which she might have extended the shot difference.

Due to the sudden change of the wind direction, Pak`s tee shot fell into the bunker. And after a lay-up, her third shot failed to reach the green only to bogey with four-on and two-putts. Pak said, ``I hit the ball exactly to the aimed spot, but the ball immediately stopped there without rolling because of the wet fairway.``

On the other hand, Sorenstam captured a birdie easily in the 18th hole. With a unstable stance in the edge of the bunker, she lightly hit the ball with three iron, and landed it on the green passing the 250 yard long hole cup thanks to the wind blowing from the back.

Ahn Young-Sik ysahn@donga.com