10/24/2008 - Haikou, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Laura Diaz fired a nine-under 63 on Friday to take the first-round lead of the inaugural Grand China Air LPGA at Haikou West Golf Club.
This year's Ginn Tribute winner Seon Hwa Lee posted a six-under 66 and is alone in second place. H.J. Choi and Karen Stupples are knotted in third place at minus-five.
This is the LPGA Tour's first event in China. It features an elite 63-player field with 51 LPGA Tour players, eight golfers from the China Golf Association and four sponsor invites.
And the first-round leader is one of those 51 LPGA Tour players.
Diaz started well with birdies at the first and third holes. She dropped a stroke at the par-three fifth, but made up the lost shot with a birdie at No. 6.
Diaz finished off her first nine with a birdie at the par-three eighth to make the turn at three-under 33.
She played brilliantly to start her second nine. Diaz birdied the 10th, then rattled off three consecutive birdies from the 12th to reach seven-under par for the championship.
Diaz closed her round in style. After pars at 15 and 16, Diaz birdied the par- five 17th and the par-four closing hole to match her lowest round on the LPGA Tour.
"It was a very enjoyable 63," acknowledged Diaz. "I felt very confident out there. I had a great pairing, played with Leta Lindley and Juli Inkster, and they are two of my good friends and it was just a lot of fun."
Diaz finished third last week in Hawaii, but the American Solheim Cup veteran has not won since her two-victory campaign of 2002. Diaz can only hazard a guess as to why.
"I don't have a good answer for that except that I haven't been able to shoot the scores that win golf tournaments," said Diaz. "Trying to balance being a mother and a player and a wife has been a challenge that I've faced for the last almost three years now.
"I would also have to say that the passion that I once had that was only for golf has now been redistributed to being a mother and a wife and a player and so I've got more places where I'm trying to excel in."
Ji Young Oh and Louis Friberg share fifth place at four-under 68, while Candie Kung and Tao-Li Yang are knotted in seventh place at three-under-par 69.
Jimin Kang, Catriona Matthew, In-Kyung Kim, Young Kim, Allison Fouch, Christina Kim, Teresa Lu, Shanshan Feng and Shi Hyun Ahn are tied for ninth at minus-two.
Annika Sorenstam, who is stepping away from golf in a few short weeks, opened with an even-par 72 on Friday. She is part of a large group tied for 24th place.
Last week's Kapalua LPGA Classic champion Morgan Pressel only managed a three- over 75 in round one and is tied for 47th.
<< Tellqvist, Coyotes edge Capitals
Glendale, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mikael Tellqvist, making his first start of
the season, stopped 31-of-32 shots to help the Phoenix Coyotes to a 2-1
victory over the Washington Capitals.
Peter Mueller had the game-winning goal for
<< Titans RB Johnson fined
Nashville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tennessee Titans running back Chris
Johnson was fined $10,000 by the league for a touchdown celebration in the
team's 34-10 win over the Chiefs in Kansas City this past Sunday.
Johnson, the 24t
<< Avs use late surge to slip past Oilers
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ian Laperriere had a goal and an assist, as the
Colorado Avalanche downed the Edmonton Oilers, 4-1, at Pepsi Center.
Paul Stastny, Joe Sakic and Cody McLeod also scored for the Avalanche, who
have reeled o
<< Shields, Upton star as Rays draw even
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - James Shields threw nearly six shutout
innings and B.J. Upton went 2-for-4 with a run batted in as the Tampa Bay Rays
topped the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-2, in Game 2 of the World Series.
With the win
Sizzling Sharks head to Florida >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Sharks will try to avoid their first loss to
the Florida Panthers in over eight years tonight, as the two clubs square off
in Sunrise at BankAtlantic Center.
Having recorded 12 of a possible 14 points to start
Blues welcome Kings, Gov. Palin to St. Louis >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Keith Tkachuk and the St. Louis Blues will try to extend
their fast-scoring start to the season tonight, as they host the Los Angeles
Kings at Scottrade Center.
The Blues are off to a 4-2-0 start for the second straight se
Winless Flyers try to halt four-year drought in New Jersey >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Flyers, a team that has never gone seven
games into a season without a victory, will try to pick up their first win of
the year tonight, when they visit the rival New Jersey Devils at Prudential
Center for th
Rangers, Blue Jackets clash in Columbus >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After a sensational start to the season, the New York
Rangers have stumbled a bit. The Blueshirts will try to get back on the right
track when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena tonight.
The Rangers w
MySportsbook.com is considered one of the finest online sportsbook according to several surveys performed by independent industry analysts considering such factors as payout accuracy and timeliness, overall quality of website, and bettor satisfaction.
MySportsbook is offering a free printable NFL football office pool sheets. Run your own NFL Football Office Pool. Create your own pool, invite your friends to join. Compete with your with co-workers, friends or family for bragging rights every week. Exchange some hard hits without risk of injury. Trash Talk with your fellow co-workers.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your nfl football pool sheets needs.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting