LPGA KEB-HanaBank Championship Thursday: Haeji Kang Leads; Michelle Wie, Lexi Thompson, Paula Creamer Struggle

I mentioned the volatility in players' results at the LPGA LEB-HanaBank Championship yesterday, and that was certainly borne out today.  A lot of players came into the 1st round hot and came out more or less frozen:

• Ha Na Jang 80
• Ji-Yai Shin 77
• So Yeon Ryu 76
• In Gee Chun 76
• Na Yeon Choi 75
• Kyu Jung Baek 74

Others came in with big question marks, whether from injury or uneven play of late, and really struggled:

• Paula Creamer 81
• Mo Martin 78
• Lexi Thompson 77
• Michelle Wie 76

Other favorites hung around but didn't do anything all that special today:

• 71:  Inbee Park, Shanshan Feng
• 72:  Hyo Joo Kim, Azahara Munoz, Cristie Kerr, Mi Jung Hur
• 73:  Lydia Ko, Anna Nordqvist, Brittany Lang, Pornanong Phatlum

I'd say the newlywed should feel pretty good about her round, but everyone else won't have quite her quota of happiness to cushion the pain of shots thrown away.

So who did play well to kick off the 1st-ever 4-round version of this tournament?

• 67:  Haeji Kang
• 69:  Amy Yang, Minjee Lee, Mirim Lee, Ilhee Lee, Catriona Matthew
• 70:  Suzann Pettersen, Chella Choi, Beatriz Recari, Brittany Lincicome, Eun-Hee Ji, Sandra Gal, Hee Kyung Bae, Kim Kaufman

I didn't have time to watch the coverage last night and am way too tired after a full day of work and a drive to central NY (on the way to union thug business in Albany tomorrow and Saturday) to stay up for the round currently in progress.  But I'll try to do an earlier (and better) round 2 report tomorrow morning!