Angela Park tops the leaderboard after shooting a 6-under-par 66 in the first round of the $1.7-million Safeway Classic at Columbia Edgewater Country Club on Friday.

Park, who is in search of her first career LPGA title in her second year on tour, had six birdies in a bogey-free round that put her a shot ahead of six other players.

"I'm eager to get my first win, but just because of eagerness doesn't mean my win is not going to come" Park said. "So I try to play just one game at a time, one hole at a time."

Helen Alfredsson and Sophie Gustafson each had five birdies without a bogey en route to 67s. Kelli Kuehne, Hee Young Park, Karen Stupples and Song-Hee Kim also found themselves at 5-under.

Kuehne stood at 3-over after three holes but rallied with eight birdies to put herself just one shot behind Angela Park.

Lorena Ochoa birdied four of her last five holes en route to a 3-under 69 in the first round.

AFP