Choi Takes Lead in U.S. Women's Open; Ochoa a Shot Behind

Na Yeon Choi holds the lead after the opening round of the U.S. Women's Open at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa. The South Korean carded a 3-under-par 68.

Right behind in second is the women's game top-ranked player, Lorena Ochoa of Mexico, along with former Open champion Cristie Kerr and fellow American Jean Reynolds at 69. Hee Young Park, another South Korean, is alone in fifth at 1-under 70.

Six players, including young amateur Alexis Thompson, shot even-par 71s on a brilliant, sunny day. The players off in the morning round enjoyed softer, more accepting greens but as the day wore on and the sun baked Saucon Valley's Old Course, the putting surfaces dried out a bit and became trickier.

"The course is playing kind of firm and fast," Kerr said of the conditions. "Not so much in the fairways yet, but definitely around the greens, and of the pins are tough and the greens [have] a lot of speed on them. So you have to pay attention to what's going on."

Kerr was definitely pleased with the turnout and the overall ambience of the Open venue. "The atmosphere was generally good. There's a lot of people out there. You know, I said to my caddie, John, that I thought this Open may draw more people than the Open that I won at Pine Needles. It's just got a really big feel to it. It's a big golf course, very long golf course, a lot of area for people to walk around, and it's truly a great place for a major championship."

Ochoa was one of the players who teed off early. Here's what Ochoa told reporters at the end of her round.

LORENA OCHOA: It was good. You know, anything in the red numbers to start a U.S. Open, I will always take it. I think I hit the ball good, but more important I had the right speed of the greens. That helped me a lot. So, I mean, you know, one round down and three to go. That's good. I'm going to rest a little bit and have a good practice to get ready for tomorrow.

Q. Do you feel just like keep it nice and neat for today?

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I think, you know, I've been a little bit too stressed on the technique and getting the right line. I made sure today that it was more about seeing the line and just trying to make them. It worked for sure, so I'm going to try to repeat that tomorrow. You know, this course is just a lot of feel. Some of them you're going to need to tie them in and just play high and soft. I like that it have good imagination. I'm going to keep things simple, and I'm going to continue that.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

LORENA OCHOA: The question is?

Q. What was your approach today?

LORENA OCHOA: I had 111 yards, I hit a 9-iron just to keep it safe. Make sure I hit five, six yards past. Another thing, finish in the right side where the pin was and I was able to make that putt. That was a good birdie.

Q. What was that putt on No. 2? That was a tremendous putt.

LORENA OCHOA: That was really long. I think I made longer putts before, but this is the one I made with more breaks. You know, it first went left and went right, went left and went left and then went right. I didn't know what it was -- (laughter.) It was like a good surprise, and, you know, made me smile.

Q. Did you see that line?

LORENA OCHOA: If I saw the line? Yes, I didn't know what to say. I didn't know if go left -- I didn't know. I just stayed quiet. Saw everything. I'm glad I picked up on that hole.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

LORENA OCHOA: 3? Little more, 17, 18. No, that was just a bad hole for them. You know, on the other hand, they played good holes that I didn't play good. On a U.S. Open course, you always need to be patient, always be, you know, if it doesn't happen in this one, it's going to happen in the next one. Just tough mentally, mentally tough. But that's the way it is. You need to be prepared and be patient, very patient.

Q. How about the pin placement today?

LORENA OCHOA: They were not easy, but I don't see any easy position, no. Maybe couple holes that was right in the front. We'll see where we get tomorrow. I think it's going to be tough for the next three days.

Q. Do you feel like you left a couple ones out there?

LORENA OCHOA: No. I'm happy with what I have. No, I made good putts. I saved good pars. You know, a couple, maybe one shot from the bunker that I was a little bit unlucky and another shot that I made from the middle of the fairway. I got really upset on 14, because I was 140 yards to the hole, and I was in the middle of the fairway and I made a bogey there. So you can't do that, you know. If you're going to make a bogey, you need to be in the rough, you need to be in the bunker, you need to be, you know, hitting a long shot. That was my upset today, but at the same time, I make a long putt on No. 2.

The transcript for the above interview is courtesy of ASAP Sports.