Springfield, IL (Sports Network) - Christina Kim, winless for nearly three years, fired a nine-under 63 on Thursday to take the lead after the first round of the State Farm Classic.
Sun Young Yoo, after posting an eight-under 28 on her first nine holes, cooled off to shoot an eight-under 64 and trail Kim by a shot.
Jee Young Lee and Kristy McPherson shared third place at seven-under 65, while McDonald's LPGA Championship winner Yani Tseng led a group of five players who were tied at six-under 66.
Michelle Wie opened with a five-under 67, her best round on the LPGA Tour this season, and was part of a seven-way tie at five-under 67.
The 18-year-old Wie, who holed out for an eagle but also missed makable birdie putts on her last three holes, said it was the best she's felt walking off the course this year.
"I feel good about the round, but I think I could have done better, which is kind of what I need to work on," said Wie.
As for Kim, she's only done better twice in her LPGA Tour career. She missed her personal scoring record by only a shot after collecting seven birdies and an eagle in a flawless first round at Panther Creek.
Last year, Kim birdied her final three holes, including two from off the green, to finish just a shot behind winner Sherri Steinhauer. She said she felt little bit like the defending champion on Thursday -- even with Steinhauer playing in the same threesome.
"It's funny to say, but I had defending runner-up jitters on the first tee," said Kim. "It was a thrilling day, but it took me a couple holes to get my head out of my way, I guess. So I really just sort of let what could happen here happen."
Kim's slow start was nothing more than back-to-back pars on the first two holes. She broke into red numbers with a four-foot birdie putt at No. 3, then posted two more birdies on the front nine at Nos. 6 and 8.
She really began making her move at the 11th hole, where she rolled in a 17- foot putt for the first of four consecutive birdies. Kim's eagle came at the 16th, set up by a five-wood to 23 feet from about 205 yards away.
She took her first 18-hole lead of the season, even if it came at a tournament many of the top stars decided to skip. Top-ranked players like Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam, Suzann Pettersen and Paula Creamer were among those taking the week off.
Kim said it was unfortunate that many players decided not to play this week.
"But the bottom line is if someone wants to win they're going to win. It does not matter if Lorena Ochoa is here or not," said Kim, whose last victory came near the end of the 2005 season. "If someone wants to win and they really, really want it, it's going to happen."
For a while it looked like Yoo might flirt with shooting a 59 after she went nine-under over her first 10 holes. But the 21-year-old Korean managed just one birdie, five pars and two bogeys the rest of the way.
Creamer also flirted with 59 in the first round of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic last Thursday before "cooling off" to shoot a 60. She won the tournament for her third victory of the season.
Yoo, in her third LPGA Tour season, is seeking her first win. The eight-under 28 she posted on her first nine holes -- the back nine -- was the best nine- hole score of her career.
"But I really tried to forget about it," said Yoo, "and I just tried to keep the focus on every shot."