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GULLANE, Scotland (AP) — Tiffany Joh credited her "hot putter" as she shot a career-best 9-under 62 at the Ladies Scottish Open to take a four-shot lead after Thursday's first round.
"I pretty much kept it in play and putted amazing, that's the only way I could describe it today," said the 31-year-old American, who opened and finished with birdies for the largest first-round lead on the LPGA Tour this year.
In-Kyung Kim, Amy Yang and Jenny Shin all shot 66 to share a three-way South Korean tie for second place at Gullane Golf Club.
Seven-time LPGA winner Kim called it "a tough course but I think it suits my game."
Joh, who missed the cut at last year's tournament, has yet to win in a decade on the LPGA Tour.
Six birdies in eight holes either side of the turn, added to two back-to-back from the start, catapulted Joh to the top of the leaderboard and she finished in style by picking up another shot.
Brandon Stone shot a course-record 60 earlier this month on the links in the final round to win the men's Scottish Open, although the women's event is playing 650 yards shorter.
Joh has three career top-10 finishes since her rookie season in 2011, including a career-best runner-up result at the 2011 Navistar LPGA Classic
Defending champion Mi Hyang Lee opened her title defense with a 3-over 74. She came from nine strokes back heading into the weekend to win last year's Ladies Scottish Open at Dundonald Links.
The youngest player in the field, 19-year-old Karoline Lund, posted a 4-under 67 and is tied for fifth in her first official LPGA event.
"It's so cool to just compete against those that have been your idols, like your whole life, and you've only watched them on television," Lund said. "It's really nice to be here and compete against them and see how the level is."
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