Neumann shoots opening 66 at LPGA Tournament of Champions

Sweden's Liselotte Neumann returned from a monthlong layoff and shot a 6-under 66 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the LPGA Tournament of Champions in Mobile, Ala.

Neumann, who won the event in 1996 at Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Fla., had six birdies, including four on the back nine.

Juli Inkster and Christina Kim, teammates on the winning U.S. Solheim Cup squad, were one stroke back after opening 67s. Defending champion Heather Daly-Donofrio and Patricia Meunier-Lebouc were two back, and Candie Kung, Hee-Won Han and Lorena Ochoa were another stroke off the lead.

Annika Sorenstam, the 1997 winner at Westin Hills, is skipping the event to rest for the season-ending ADT Championship next week in West Palm Beach, Fla.

HSBC Champions

Tiger Woods bogeyed his last hole after hitting a tee shot into a bunker, costing him a share of the first-round lead Thursday in the $5 million HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China.

Scotland's Paul Lawrie, the 1999 British Open winner; England's Nick Dougherty and Australia's Peter O'Malley led at 8-under-par 64. Woods was at 65 with England's David Howell, the Netherlands' Robert-Jan Derksen and South Korea's K.J. Choi.

The European Tour opened its season with Asia's most lucrative tournament, one sanctioned by four tours.

U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell and Kenneth Ferrie were at 66, a shot ahead of an eight-player group featuring Vijay Singh. Colin Montgomerie, who won the European money title, opened with a 74 that included a double-bogey on his last hole.

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LPGA/Tournament of Champions

Thursday; At Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Crossings Course, Mobile, Ala.; Purse: $850,000 Yardage: 6,253; Par: 72 (36-36)

First Round

Liselotte Neumann 34-32 -- 66 -6

Christina Kim 34-33 -- 67 -5

Juli Inkster 34-33 -- 67 -5

Patricia Meunier-Lebouc 35-33 -- 68 -4

Heather Daly-Donofrio 34-34 -- 68 -4

Candie Kung 34-35 -- 69 -3

Hee-Won Han 36-33 -- 69 -3

Rachel Hetherington 36-33 -- 69 -3

Lorena Ochoa 33-36 -- 69 -3

Birdie Kim 33-37 -- 70 -2

Catriona Matthew 35-35 -- 70 -2

Meena Lee 37-33 -- 70 -2

Karen Stupples 34-36 -- 70 -2

Janice Moodie 34-36 -- 70 -2

Shi Hyun Ahn 34-36 -- 70 -2

Paula Creamer 35-35 -- 70 -2

Soo-Yun Kang 37-34 -- 71 -1

Pat Hurst 35-36 -- 71 -1

Wendy Ward 35-36 -- 71 -1

Sophie Gustafson 37-34 -- 71 -1

Rosie Jones 36-35 -- 71 -1

Marisa Baena 35-36 -- 71 -1

Heather Bowie 37-34 -- 71 -1

Nicole Perrot 37-34 -- 71 -1

Hilary Lunke 37-35 -- 72 E

Moira Dunn 35-37 -- 72 E

Kim Saiki 35-37 -- 72 E

Wendy Doolan 36-36 -- 72 E

Angela Stanford 34-38 -- 72 E

Mi Hyun Kim 35-37 -- 72 E

Carin Koch 36-36 -- 72 E

Meg Mallon 36-37 -- 73 + 1

Stacy Prammanasudh 34-39 -- 73 + 1

Dorothy Delasin 37-36 -- 73 + 1

Jeong Jang 35-38 -- 73 + 1

Jennifer Rosales 36-37 -- 73 + 1

Gloria Park 37-37 -- 74 + 2

Jee Young Lee 37-37 -- 74 + 2

Laura Diaz 37-38 -- 75 + 3

Beth Daniel 39-37 -- 76 + 4

Sherri Steinhauer 36-40 -- 76 + 4

Pat Bradley 39-39 -- 78 + 6

Jimin Kang 39-39 -- 78 + 6