Intro:

Laura Diaz - winless in the past 12 years on the U.S. LPGA Tour - shot a nine-under-par round of 62 on Thursday (17th July) for a four-stroke lead after the opening round of the Marathon Classic.

Script:

Mo Martin, last week's winner of the Women's British Open, put together a solid opening round of 67.

Cristie Kerr collected the shot of the day with a hole-in-one on the par-three sixth hole.

Kerr, who has eight top-10 results this season, withdrew from the British Open with a sore back after an opening round of 81.

She showed few signs of discomfort here, shooting a one-under-par round of 70.

Laura Diaz was out on the course early and set the bar for the field.

Diaz, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, opened on the 10th tee and put together five straight birdies.

She added four more over a bogey-free round to card a nine-under-par round of 62 - one stroke shy of her career best.

Lydia Ko won the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in April becoming world number two in the process.

The 17-year-old Kiwi nearly produced the second hole-in-one of the day on the par-three 8th hole but her ball caught the lip of the cup.

Ko tapped in for one of six birdies she collected on her card, but a pair of bogeys left her with a four-under 67.