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Feng, Rawson Atop LPGA

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The Associated Press

Published: September 12, 2008

MOBILE, Ala. - China's Shanshan Feng shot a 5-under 67, playing a four-hole stretch in 5 under, for a share of the first-round lead Thursday with fellow LPGA Tour rookie Anna Rawson in the Bell Micro LPGA Classic.

Feng opened with five straight pars, then birdied the par-4 15th, eagled the par-5 16th and closed her first nine with birdies on the par-3 17th and par-4 18th. She had two birdies and two bogeys on the final nine holes.

Fourth in the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in July, Feng has missed the cut in 11 of her 19 tour starts this season.

Rawson, a former Southern California star from Australia, had six birdies and a bogey on The Crossing course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex. She has missed the cut in seven of her nine tour starts this year.

Nicole Castrale, Angela Park, Michelle Ellis and Irene Cho opened with 68s. Cristie Kerr, coming off a playoff victory Aug. 24 in the Safeway Classic, was two strokes back at 69 along with McDonald's LPGA Championship winner Yani Tseng, Danielle Downey, Song-Hee Kim, Katie Futcher and Jeong Jang.

Paula Creamer, an eight-stroke winner last year at The Crossings in the Tournament of Champions, shot a 78 - matching her worst score of the year.

U.S. MID-AMATEUR: Steve Wilson of Ocean Springs, Miss., defeated Todd Mitchell of Bloomington, Ill., 5-and-4 in the 36-hole finale in River Hills, Wis., to earn an invitation to next year's Masters.

U.S. WOMEN'S MID-AMATEUR: Joan Higgins of Glendora, Calif., became the oldest winner of the event at 52 by edging Lynn Simmons of Phoenix 1-up in the 18-hole final at Ann Arbor, Mich.

PGA EUROPEAN: Richard Finch of England and Jean-Francois Lucquin of France each shot a 6-under 66 to share the first-round lead at the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Pulheim, Germany. Robert Karlsson followed the leaders with a 67.

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