WATERLOO, Ontario – Michelle Wie and defending champion Hee Young Park shared the first-round lead at 6-under 65 on Thursday in the Manulife Financial Classic at windswept Grey Silo.

Wie, the winner in Hawaii in April, birdied three of the last four holes in her morning round. She’s seeking her second victory in Canada after winning the 2010 Canadian Women’s Open in Winnipeg.

Park had a bogey-free round in the afternoon. Last year, the South Korean player beat Angela Stanford on the third playoff hole after they finished at 26-under 258 to match the tour record for lowest total score.

China’s Shanshan Feng was a stroke back, and countrywoman Xi Yu Lin matched Cristie Kerr with a 67.

Stacy Lewis had a 69 in her first round since taking the top spot in the world with a victory Sunday in New Jersey. Second-ranked Inbee Park also shot 69, and No. 3 Lydia Ko had a 71.

Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson, 16, leads the nine player Canadian contingent. The Smiths Falls, Ont. native who is the world’s No. 3 ranked women’s amateur opened with a 1-under 70. She finished her opening-round with consecutive birdies on Nos. 17 and 18.

Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. and Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont. were a stroke back after even-par 70s, leaving them tied for 54th.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane and Erica Rivard of Tecumseh, Ont. were tied for 87th at 2-over 73.

Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (74) of Sherbrooke, Que. was tied for 101st.

Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham and Brantford, Ont.’s Nicole Vandermade fired matching 75s and were tied for 111th.

WATERLOO, Ontario – Stacy Lewis is all about winning, figuring everything else will fall in place.

Everything did Sunday in New Jersey when the 29-year-old Texan won the ShopRite LPGA Classic to reclaim the top spot in the world ranking from Inbee Park.

“Getting the No. 1 was just a bonus,” Lewis said Wednesday, a day before the start of play in the Manulife Financial Classic at Grey Silo.

She also won the North Texas LPGA Shootout in early May after finishing second six times in her previous 16 events since winning the Women’s British Open in August.

“I feel like over the last year I’ve put myself in position to win so many times that I’m very comfortable there,” Lewis said. “You know, I wouldn’t say it gets easier, but I would say you definitely get more comfortable. Sunday last week, the nerves were there initially, but then once we got going I felt like if I took care of my game, there’s no way anybody was going to beat me.”

Park is winless in 10 tour starts this season after sweeping the first three majors last year and finishing the season with six victories.

“I’m the No. 2 right now and my life didn’t change,” she said. “I’m just still doing the same thing, doing my routine, practice round, pro-am, playing again. Yeah, it’s just numbers, but my life is the same life.”

In the two previous events at Grey Silo, Lewis tied for fifth and sixth.

“It’s a golf course you have to make a ton of birdies on and I led the tour in birdies last year, and I think I’m leading that stat this year, so I think that fits my game,” Lewis said. “You have to go out there and attack and make as many birdies as you can.”

Last year, Hee Young Park beat Angela Stanford with a birdie on the third playoff hole. They finished at 26-under 258 to match the tour record for lowest total score.

“This golf course is in perfect shape, everything, and I know how I was feeling and green conditions pretty much perfect, so easy to get used to it,” Hee Young Park said. “(Earlier in the week there) was rain here so it got softer, so I can hit more aggressive, which is good.”

She’s has been bothered by a lingering wrist injury this season.

“It feels a lot better and I’m back to pretty much normal. I can play,” she said. “The last few weeks I played pretty good, so I think it’s ready.”

Lewis hopes the wind sticks around for the weekend.

“I would much rather play a golf course when it’s playing hard than when it’s playing easy,” she said. “What’s surprised me the last two years is that I have played well here, because I don’t like courses that are just a straight birdie-fest and you go crazy. I like it when it’s hard and you have to golf shots and things like that. The wind this year, I’m actually pretty excited about.”

Third-ranked Lydia Ko also is in the field. The 17-year-old Ko won the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in California in late April and has five top-seven finishes in 11 tour starts this year.

The teenager won the Canadian Women’s Open as an amateur the last two years and took the Swinging Skirts World Ladies Masters in December in Taiwan in her second start as a professional. She has six victories in pro events, also winning in Australia and New Zealand.

DIVOTS: Brooke Henderson, the 16-year-old Canadian who is third in the world amateur ranking, received a sponsor exemption. … Brittany Lang won the inaugural event in 2012. … Manulife has extended its sponsorship deal through 2016. … The tour will return to Ontario in August for the Canadian Women’s Open at London Hunt.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Stacy Lewis won the ShopRite LPGA Classic on Sunday to take the top spot in the world ranking from Inbee Park, finishing with a 4-under 67 for a six-stroke victory.

No. 1 for four weeks early last year, Lewis ended Park’s 59-week run in the top spot.

Lewis finished at 16-under 197 on Seaview’s Bay Course and earned $225,000 for her second victory of the year and 10th overall. Also the 2012 winner at Seaview, she won the North Texas LPGA Shootout last month after finishing second six times in her previous 16 events since winning the Women’s British Open in August.

Christina Kim was second after a 72.

Park closed with a 70 to tie for eighth at 7 under. She’s winless in 10 tour starts this season after sweeping the first three majors last year and finishing the season with six victories.

LPGA tour rookie Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont. shot 70 in the final round Sunday to place her in a tie for 48th.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. –

 Stacy Lewis moved into position to take the top spot in the world, shooting a bogey-free 8-under 63 on Saturday to match the 36-hole record in the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

The second-ranked Lewis had a 12-under 130 total on the Bay Course at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club.

A victory Sunday would guarantee Lewis the No. 1 ranking, which Inbee Park has held for 59 straight weeks after taking it from Lewis. Park, playing in the windier afternoon session, had three bogeys on her final five holes to shoot 70 and fall six strokes behind Lewis.

“It would be huge,” Lewis said. “I was only there for four weeks last year, so I never really got to enjoy it. I definitely want to get back because I know kind of more now what to expect with it. Honestly, I’m kind of tired of hearing all the scenarios and hearing everybody talk about it. I would like to take care of that here this week.”

Lewis, the 2012 winner, won the North Texas LPGA Shootout four weeks ago.

Christina Kim was a stroke back after 67.

First-round leader Jennifer Johnson followed her course record 62 with a 70 to finish at 10 under.

“When you shoot your lowest round ever, it’s hard to follow that up,” Johnson said. “Everything went my way yesterday and nothing was dropping today.”

Lewis also had shot 130 through two rounds at the ShopRite Classic in her 2012 victory. The only other players to finish the first two rounds of the ShopRite Classic at 130 were Amy Benz at Greate Bay Country Club in 1996 and Denise Killeen at Seaview in 2004.

“I like this golf course and the fans just seem to come out of the woodwork for this tournament,” Lewis said. “It’s awesome.”

Lewis came on strong in the second round after admitting she felt “uncomfortable over the ball” during her first nine holes Friday.

She also climbed to the top of the leaderboard despite a crazy travel week. After tying for 10th at the Airbus LPGA Classic in Mobile, Alabama last weekend, Lewis flew to Pinehurst, North Carolina, to play two practice rounds in preparation for the U.S. Women’s Open on June 19-22. She then traveled to Seaview for Wednesday’s Shoprite Classic Pro-Am, flew in a private helicopter to New York City to participate in a press conference announcing the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and returned to the Jersey Shore on Thursday.

“I know my game is in a good place,” Lewis said. “It was a lot but I didn’t think it was going to be too much.”

Kim had her first bogey of the tournament on the par-4 16th but rallied for five birdies on her next eight holes, the most memorable of which came when she drained a long putt on No. 5.

Anna Nordqvist (65) and Gerina Piller (67) were tied for fourth place at 8 under. Karrie Webb, last year’s winner, followed her opening-round 69 with 70 to reach 3 under.

Third-ranked Lydia Ko (75) avoided missing her first cut in 27 career LPGA starts with birdies on her final two holes to finish at 1 over. The 17-year-old had five bogeys and triple bogeyed No. 4.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Jennifer Johnson matched the course record with a 9-under 62 on Friday to take the first-round lead in the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

The 22-year-old Johnson, the winner last year in Mobile, Alabama, had 10 birdies – five straight on Nos. 9-13 – and a bogey on the Bay Course at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club.

“I’ve been playing well the past few weeks, so I felt pretty good about my game,” Johnson said. “If you just let it happen and just let a good round come together, normally it does.”

Haru Nomura had a bogey-free 63, and Christina Kim opened with a 64.

Top-ranked Inbee Park and Na Yeon Choi shot 66 in the morning session.

But they’re all chasing Johnson, who matched the record set by Laura Davies and Jimin Kang in 2005.

Johnson had a shot a 63 on the course two years ago.

“On 17, that’s when I was 8 under and I was trying to beat my 63,” Johnson said. “So then I started getting a little nervous because my goal was to get to 10 under, but I only got to 9. But when you shoot something that you’ve never shot before, nerves are going to happen.”

Nomura had eight birdies in her career-low round.

“All in all, my putting was on, my shot was really good and the conditions were great,” Nomura said. “So everything was perfect today.”

Kim finished with seven birdies, including a 35-foot putt on 11 that she called “one of the longest putts I’ve made since the 90s.”

Park, winless this season, had five birdies a week after missing the cut in Alabama to end her streak at 22 events.

Focusing on not letting her shoulder dip down too much, which she said caused her putts to veer to the left last week, Park drained a 15-foot birdie putt on the first hole.

For Park, ranked No. 1 for 59 straight weeks, that was all she needed to get back on track.

“I was a little bit worried before I teed off today because of last week’s finish,” Park said. “But after I birdied the first hole, that really gave me a lot of confidence going into the rest of the 17 holes.”

Choi closed her round with an eagle on the par-5 ninth. She said she felt “good vibes” all day after watching Rory McIlroy shoot a 9-under 63 at the Memorial Tournament on Thursday.

Choi’s swing coach, Robin Symes, and caddie, David Jones, are both friendly with McIlroy, which has turned Choi into a big fan of the PGA Tour star.

“I’ve heard a lot of good stories about him,” Choi said. “I’ve never met him but it feels like we are good friends with each other. And hopefully one day I will see him and meet him.”

Second-ranked Stacy Lewis and Michelle Wie shot 67, and 17-year-old Lydia Ko was another stroke back. Wie, who has seven top-10 finishes in 10 events this year, finished with five birdies but was disappointed that only one of them came on a par 5.

“Going into this golf course, I always want to take advantage of the par-5s on the front nine, but I didn’t quite do that today,” Wie said. “I think I did well on the par-4s and par-3s today. And tomorrow I’ve just got to keep doing the same and try to take advantage of the par-5s.”

Hall of Famer Karrie Webb, the winner last year, opened with a 69.

Jennifer Kirby, of the Young Pro Squad development team opened the tournament on a high note carding a 67 to tie for 6th.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Lydia Ko is trying to pace herself in her first season on the LPGA Tour.

“I skipped last week and I skipped the tournament in Texas, as well,” the 17-year-old Ko said Thursday, a day before the start of play in the ShopRite LPGA Classic. “Obviously, I would like to play the whole schedule and get to every tournament, but it is definitely tough playing all 32 events.”

Ko won the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in California in late April and has five top-seven finishes in 10 tour starts this year.

“I’ve been really enjoying myself, playing on the tour,” said Ko, born in South Korea and raised in New Zealand. “I think every moment has been really special. I can’t believe that already a third has gone by.”

The teenager won the Canadian Women’s Open as an amateur the last two years and took the Swinging Skirts World Ladies Masters in December in Taiwan in her second start as a professional. She has six victories in pro events, also winning in Australia and New Zealand, and is No. 3 in the world.

“I really don’t think about my ranking,” Ko said. “I just feel like I’m another golfer going out there to play some golf, and you know, to be at the top, and I guess when you’re ranked the best female golfer in the world, that’s something special. I mean, hopefully I can be the world’s No. 1 golfer. It doesn’t need to be now. That’s what I’m thinking. I just want to pace myself and really enjoy it, and I mean, I have just got to have fun and, to me, that’s the most important thing.”

Ko will play alongside top-ranked Inbee Park and Paula Creamer in the first two rounds on the Bay Course at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club.

Park missed the cut last week in Alabama, ending her streak at 22 events. She’s winless in nine tour starts this season after sweeping the first three majors last year and finishing the season with six victories.

“I didn’t have a good week last week, but you always get a time that you’re not playing so well,” Park said. “I was very confident after a two-week break. I was hitting the ball great. I was putting great. I was very confident coming into last week, and once the tournament started, I just don’t know what happened. I lost everything. I was hitting the ball bad. I was putting so bad last week.”

Ko and second-ranked Stacy Lewis, the 2012 tournament winner, both have a chance to take the top spot from Park this week. Lewis won the North Texas LPGA Shootout four weeks ago.

Michelle Wie, the winner in Hawaii, has seven top-10 finishes in 10 events this year. She’s coming off a third-place tie Sunday in Mobile.

“I’m just going out there and working hard,” Wie said. “I just want to get better and better every week. And it’s fun. It’s fun when you work hard and practice hard and you kind of see results. This year, it’s been a lot of fun and definitely motivating me to work even harder, just because it’s fun to play well.”

She’s grouped with Lizette Salas and Kraft Nabisco winner Lexi Thompson. Salas is making her first start since winning the Kingsmill Championship two weeks ago in Virginia for her first PGA Tour title.

“It’s back to work and I feel great,” Salas said. “I’m really glad I took that week off to recharge my batteries.”

Jessica Korda also is in the field after winning in Mobile for her second victory of the year.

“I’ve kind of settled into it now,” Korda said. “I think after my second win I was really, really excited and it definitely kind of showed me that the first one wasn’t a fluke. This one, I felt more like myself. I felt really comfortable out there and I just knew how to go through all the motions and emotions.”

She’s comfortable on the Bay Course, though she has had to adjust to the softer greens.

“It’s in really good condition,” Korda said. “The rough is definitely very high this year and it’s going to be very important to stay in the fairway. I think the greens are in really good shape. They’re a little spongy, so definitely a lot different from last week where they were a little bit firm. So, had to get used to chipping into the green being a little bit more aggressive, just seeing a little different line.”

Last year in the event, Hall of Famer Karrie Webb won her first LPGA Tour title in two years, rallying for a two-stroke victory over Shanshan Feng. Webb won the Women’s Australian Open and Founders Cup this year to push her LPGA Tour victory total to 41.

DUBLIN, Ohio — The LPGA Championship is getting a new name, two big partners and a lot more exposure.

In what amounts to a merger announced Thursday morning, the LPGA Tour and PGA of America have become partners in the Women’s PGA Championship. It will be the first women’s major run by the PGA of America starting in 2015 at Westchester Country Club in New York.

KPMG will be the title sponsor and use the week to host a major conference that brings together top female executives from business, politics, sports and society.

“Of anything we’ve done over the last 18 months, there’s nothing I’m more excited about than this,” said Pete Bevacqua, the chief executive of the PGA of America. “We’re excited because we feel we need to do something big, something important with the women’s game. Our two key mandates are serving our members and growing the game. And so much of growing the game is getting more women involved.”

The plan is to move the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship around the country. The purse will increase in 2015 to $3.5 million, up from $2.25 million this year, and it will become only the second LPGA Tour event on network television, joining the U.S. Women’s Open.

NBC Sports will televise the Women’s PGA on the weekend.

The LPGA Championship dates to 1955 and had been sponsored by Wegmans in Rochester, New York. LPGA commissioner Mike Whan said Wegmans had reached a point that it could no longer be a title sponsor, and the solution proved to be ideal.

The partnership means the LPGA can lean on the PGA of America to run the major – Kerry Haigh, who sets up the PGA Championship and American-based Ryder Cup courses, will be in charge of Women’s PGA. And it allows the LPGA’s second-oldest major to rotate to major markets.

Whan said most of the championships will be in the New York area, allowing KPMG a strong market to host its business forum, though it would move to other markets to create space from a glut of majors in the area over the next decade.

Westchester was a popular stop on the PGA Tour for 40 years until 2007, with a list of winners that included Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros and Ernie Els.

“I am so excited to see the LPGA Championship take another huge leap forward,” said Nancy Lopez, a three-time LPGA champion. “For me, it has always been a special event that every player strives to win. But now, with the addition of network television, the awesome jump in prize money and the rotation of world-class venues – plus the opportunity to impact women in golf and in business – this is big time.”

One part of the merger includes teaching professionals.

The PGA of America has women among its 27,000 members. The LPGA has its own Teaching and Club Pro division. Starting next year, Whan said the Women’s PGA Championship field would include spots for club professionals from both organizations, a total number expected to be about eight players.

Whan said the idea came together quickly, and that KPMG was the first company they approached.

“They’re going to have a significant impact outside the ropes,” he said.

KPMG’s involvement in golf main had been endorsement deals with Phil Mickelson and Stacy Lewis, both of whom won the British Open last year. A big part of the week at the Women’s PGA will be a symposium for top business leaders that will be held on site.

“This sponsorship provides KPMG with a unique opportunity to take a leadership role in expanding women’s leadership, on and off the golf course,” said John Veihmeyer, global chairman of KPMG.

The LPGA Championship will be played Aug. 14-17 at Monroe Golf Club outside Rochester for the last time under its old name.

MOBILE, Ala. – Jessica Korda won her first LPGA Tour title two years in Australia and opened this season with another victory in the Bahamas. On Sunday, the 21-year-old Florida got one on her home turf with a back-nine charge in the Airbus LPGA Classic.

“It’s very sweet,” Korda said. “Finally on U.S. soil and somewhat close to Florida. I definitely wish that I could have at least shared it with my parents, but I know that they’re watching. My brother’s playing a tennis tournament right now and my sister’s trying for a U.S. Open qualifier, so we’re kind of scattered all over the place, but I can’t wait to go home and share this with them.”

Korda, whose father, Petr, won the 1998 Australian Open tennis tournament and mother, Regina Raichrtova, also played pro tennis, birdied four of the final five holes, making a breaking 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke victory over Anna Nordqvist.

Korda played the back nine in 6-under 30 to finish at 20-under 268 on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Magnolia Grove complex.

“It just sets up great for my game,” said Korda, who shot 20 under in this event last year and tied for second. “I can be aggressive. I can read the greens. My confidence just was rising every single day. I just love it here. I love Alabama, I love this golf course, and hopefully we’ll have this tournament for a very, very long time.”

Nordqvist also birdied the 18th and finished with a 69.

Michelle Wie, 18-year-old Charley Hull and 44-year-old Catriona Matthew tied for third at 18 under. Wie and Hull shot 67, and Matthew had a 69.

Wie played alongside Korda and Hull.

“I love playing with Korda,” Wie said. “It’s also really great playing with Charley as well, too. You feel old but it was a lot of fun.”

Wie, the winner last month in Hawaii, has seven top-10 finishes in 10 starts this year.

“I knew I needed a low score,” Wie said. “I got hot starting on and just didn’t quite get it together on the back nine, but still I shot 5 under today and there’s really nothing I can do. I’m just really happy for Korda. I had a lot of fun playing with her and I knew I needed a low number and I just didn’t hit it low enough.”

Korda started the day three strokes behind 54-hole leader Nordqvist and managed only one birdie on the front nine.

“Yesterday was a little frustrating because I was always around the hole and same thing actually on the front nine, watching Michelle make putt after putt after putt and mine were just kind of missing,” Korda said. “I was like, OK, it’s time to drop now. Then they started dropping on the back nine. It was a really relaxed day, so I really enjoyed the walk.”

She birdied Nos. 10 and 12 to join a six-way tie for the lead, with three more players just one shot off the pace in the birdie-fest.

“Charley was making birdies, Michelle was making birdies and everybody behind us was making birdies, so I knew I had to keep making birdies,” Korda said.

Korda broke out of that logjam with a curling downhill birdie putt at the 14th hole, then took the lead for good with a 25-foot birdie on No. 15.

She protected that small lead with a birdie at the par-5 16th and her closing birdie on the 18th.

“That last putt broke really hard,” Korda said. “I probably played it about a yard out and I was just trying to get it down there close and it went in. I have not played well since I won in the Bahamas but I’ve been working hard and it finally paid off here.”

Second-ranked Stacy Lewis had a 71 to tie for 10th at 15 under. She needed a solo third or higher to take the top spot in the world from Inbee Park.

Young Pro Squad Member, Jennifer Kirby, shoots 70 in the final round to end the Airbus LPGA Classic tied for 43rd.

MOBILE, Ala. –

Anna Nordqvist moved into position for her third victory of the year, shooting her second straight 6-under 66 to take the third-round lead Saturday in the Airbus LPGA Classic.

The 26-year-old Swede, the winner in Thailand and Carlsbad, had a 16-under 200 total on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Magnolia Grove complex.

“All I can do is put myself in a position to have a chance tomorrow and I felt like I’ve done that,” Nordqvist said. “Last year, I was in the final group and I was playing well and there was a lot of people coming from behind, so I know this golf course, you can never relax. You always have to keep pushing forward and trying to make birdies because if you don’t, someone else will.”

Nordqvist played the front nine in 5-under 31, birdieing Nos. 2-5 and 9, and added a birdie on the par-5 16th. She has only one bogey – on her fourth hole Friday – in 54 holes.

“I felt very confident and very comfortable,” Nordqvist said. “Got off to a really good start and just tried to keep the momentum. Had a pretty good finish the last three holes, so I’m very happy with the day.”

She set the course record last year, shooting a third-round 61 en route to a fourth-place tie.

“I definitely know I can score on this course,” Nordqvist said.

Catriona Matthew, the 44-year-old Scot who led after each of the first two days, was a stroke back after a 70. She bogeyed three of the first five holes to drop to 10 under, then birdied five of the last 15 – including three of the last four.

“I obviously got off to a terrible start with the three bogeys when everyone else is making birdies,” Matthew said. “Just knew there was a lot of chances there on the back nine if I could just hang in and try to start hitting greens again and give myself chances. Made four birdies on the back nine, so not the greatest round, but didn’t play myself out of it.”

She won the last of her four LPGA Tour titles in 2011.

“I think you come into every tournament wanting to win it, so that was my goal, to come here and win,” Matthew said. “I’ve been playing well all year, just not holing any putts. So if I can get my putter going, things can go well.”

Second-ranked Stacy Lewis, the 2012 champion who needs to finish solo third or higher to take the top spot in the world from Inbee Park, was third after a 66. Park missed the cut Friday.

“It was a pretty solid day,” Lewis said. “Definitely could have been a lot better, so I like that going into tomorrow that I didn’t play the best round today. I left quite a few out there, but still made a lot of birdies and got the ball in the hole.”

She won the North Texas LPGA Shootout three weeks ago for her ninth tour title.

Michelle Wie, Jessica Korda and 18-year-old Charley Hull were tied for fourth at 13 under. Wie shot 66, Korda 69, and Hull 71.

Wie had a bogey-free round.

“I felt like there’s a lot of low scores out there, so I was just trying to keep up with everyone else, making birdies,” Wie said. “Hopefully, I can have another low one tomorrow.”

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) —

 Catriona Matthew remained atop the Airbus LPGA Classic leaderboard Friday, birdieing four of the last seven holes to take a one-stroke advantage over Charley Hull into the weekend.

The 44-year-old Matthew had a 5-under 67 to reach 13-under 131 on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Crossings Course. The 18-year-old Hull also shot 67.

Matthew had six birdies and a bogey – on the par-4 ninth – in her afternoon round.

“I played actually probably pretty well today,” said Matthew, who opened with a 64 on Thursday. “I hit 17 greens, so I gave myself a lot of chances. I didn’t hole many on the front nine, but then the putter got going a little bit on the back nine.”

The Scot won the last of her four LPGA Tour titles in 2011.

“Obviously, there’s still 36 holes to go,” Matthew said. “If it’s anything like the first two days, we’re going to have to keep making birdies.”

Hull also dropped a stroke on No. 9, her final hole of the day. The English player birdied Nos. 6-8 and had five birdies in a seven-hole stretch before closing with her lone bogey of the week.

“Hitting it pretty straight,” Hull said. “Hit my irons good and holing some good putts. Missing a few putts, but you’re always going to miss a few putts when you’re playing well. But I’m just excited about this golf course. I quite like it.”

Hull won a Ladies European Tour event in Morocco in March a week before her 18th birthday. She closed with a 9-under 62 and won on the first hole of a playoff.

The teen is comfortable in the warm conditions in Mobile.

“The weather’s been pretty hot, but I quite like it,” Hull said. “I think it’s a great place and it’s very green and a bit different than I expected. The trees are a lot different, but I enjoy it a lot.”

Anna Nordqvist, Jessica Korda and Hee Young Park were 10 under. Nordqvist, the winner in Thailand and Carlsbad, had a 66. Korda, the Bahamas champion, shot 67, and Park had a 66.

“I got the ball close and was able to kind of make a couple putts on my front nine, which was the back nine,” Korda said “Hopefully, I can keep that momentum going.”

Park, playing alongside Matthew, eagled the par-5 16th for the second straight day.

Kraft Nabisco winner Lexi Thompson and Jenny Shin were 9 under. Thompson had a 65, and Shin shot 68.

Second-ranked Stacy Lewis, No. 4 Suzann Pettersen and three-time Mobile winner Se Ri Park topped the group at 8 under.

Lewis, the 2012 champion who won the North Texas LPGA Shootout three weeks ago, matched Pettersen with a 70. Pak, the 2010 winner who also won the Tournament of Champions at the course in 2001 and 2002, had a 69.

Michelle Wie, the winner in Hawaii, was 7 under. She followed her opening 71 with a 66.

Top-ranked Inbee Park missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 76, ending her cuts streak at 22. She had 34 putts in the second round and played her final nine in 4-over 40.

The South Korean star is winless in nine tour starts this season after sweeping the first three majors last year and finishing the season with six victories. She last missed a cut last May in the Bahamas.

Jennifer Kirby, who was announced as a member of Team Canada’s developmental Young Pro Squad this month, carded 68 to end tied for 16th.