US Women's Open 2012: Where Notable Names Stand After Round 1

After the first round of the U.S. Women's Open, held in Blackwolf Run, three American golfers share the lead at three-under-par 69: Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lincicome and rookie Lizette Salas.

The players have had a tough time with the heat. According to The Weather Channel, yesterday the temperature in Kohler, WI, went as high as 98 degrees with a 105-degree heat index.

About this matter, Paula Creamer said after her round: “you’re not thinking 100 percent clearly all the time and I think that’s the hardest fight and battle out there is trying to just be in the shade as much as you possibly can."

With these conditions, plus the pressure of playing the toughest major of the year, where do the top players managed to finish after the first round? Well, let's find out.

Yani Tseng shot two-over par and is tied for 38th. World No. 1 had some trouble in number four, par-four. After hitting her tee shot to the right and sending her ball straight to the rough, Tseng couldn't take her ball out of the tall grass and scored a double bogey. The worst hole for her was the 11th, where she had a triple bogey.

Top-ranked American, Stacy Lewis shot five-over-par 77 and sits 98th after 18 holes. Lewis opened her round at the 10th with a bogey, the first of four; then she had a double at five and only two birdies.

South Korean golfer Na Yeon Choi maintained the lead after nine holes, at three-under, but could not keep the pace on the back. She had three bogeys and one birdie to finish one-under-par 71, tied for eight.

Suzann Pettersen, the best European in the Rolex Rankings, had an up-and-down day, with two birdies in her first three holes, then she scored two consecutive bogeys and later two more birdies to stay two-under in the front nine. She had nine pars in a row before bogeying 18 to finish in a tie for eighth.

One stroke better than Pettersen and Choi, and one shot off the lead are Ai Miyazato and Lexi Thompson. The Japanese had two bogeys in the back nine—she started in number 10—but came back in-style with four birdies from holes one to nine. Meanwhile, the American was two-under after 11 holes, but sank straight bogeys on 12 and 13; she recovered with two birdies on 15 and 16.

Cristie Kerr shares the lead of the tournament at three-under and is seeking to grab her second U.S. Women's Open title. Michelle Wie signed a two-over-par 74 scorecard, while Paula Creamer and Azahara Muñoz trail the leaders by four, at one-over.

Notable pairings for Round 2

Time (CDT)	Tee	Players
8:28 a.m.	1	Stacy Lewis, Sun Young Yoo & Cristie Kerr
8:28 a.m.	10	Yani Tseng, Na Yeon Choi & Suzann Pettersen
1:36 p.m.	1	Eun-Hee Ji, So Yeon Ryu & Paula Creamer
1:47 p.m.	10	Azahara Munoz, Angela Stanford & I.K. Kim
1:58 p.m.	1	Ai Miyazato, Morgan Pressel & Shanshan Feng
2:09 p.m.	10	Amy Yang, Anna Nordqvist & Lexi Thompson