State Farm Classic - 1st Round

Shanshan Feng posted a 64 to take the first-round lead at the State Farm Classic.  Na Yeon Choi and Juli Inkster are tied for second place, one shot back while Song-Hee Kim, Anna Nordqvist, M.J. Hur, Meena Lee and Alena Sharp are tied for fourth after rounds of 66.

The day's biggest story was Jiyai Shin's emergency appendectomy on Wednesday which forced her withdrawal and endangers her participation at the LPGA Championship in two weeks.  Shin's agent says she'll be there but color me skeptical - the same procedure laid Karen Stupples low for six weeks early last year.

Scoring conditions were nearly perfect - maybe 10mph worth of wind and receptive greens from Tuesday night's downpour combined to give us 45 rounds in the 60s and 87 rounds below par.  Other scores include:

Feng birdied eight times with no bogeys and came up just short of her career low, a 63 which just happened to be at this very event two years ago.  Choi also went bogey-less with seven birdies.  Inkster birdied six straight times around the turn and three in a row to finish the day - a double-bogey at #3 kept her from her first 63 since April 2006.

A couple of players with decent Priority finally made their first starts of 2010 today.  Iben Tinning went through Q-School last fall and could have started at least three events already - her first round of the year was a 72.  Minea Blomqvist returned from maternity leave (her son was born March 31) and unfortunately struggled to an 81.