Scotland's Mhairi McKay matched her career-best round with an eight-under 63 on Thursday to seize a one-shot lead in the $2.2-million LPGA Michelob Ultra Open.

McKay, 33, notched eight birdies in a flawless round that tied the Kingsmill course record and left her one stroke in front of former world No.1 Annika Sorenstam of Sweden and South Korean Sun Young Yoo.

McKay will now try to parlay that lead into her first career LPGA Tour victory, to go with her five runner-up finishes on the tour and two international triumphs as a professional. The last of those was her victory in the 2003 Australian Women's Open.

"I feel great, and I shot below my age on both nines," McKay said. "I feel really good. Maybe that should be my goal for the year."

McKay sank short birdie putts at three, six, seven and eight, then added birdies from the 25-foot range at the 11th and 14th. She wrapped up the round with birdies at 15 and 18.

"I just felt like for the last month or so, I've been hitting the ball really well," McKay said. "In Orlando and Miami, I got off to good starts and maybe didn't quite finish the week out as strongly as I would have wanted to. But I've been encouraged by the way I'm hitting the ball and maybe just not making as many putts as I would like."

Sorenstam, the superstar who already boasts two wins this season as she bounces back from an injury plagued 2007, had seven birdies in her seven-under 64.

"I'm thrilled with the round," Sorenstam said. "I haven't shot this low all year, so it feels good to get off to a good start here, a place that I really like a lot and haven't played so well.

"So, very solid. Lot of fairways, a lot of greens. Just good golf."

She was tied with Yoo, who recorded six birdies on the front nine. The South Korean bogeyed the fourth, but bounced back nicely with four birdies in a row from the sixth.

Meanwhile, world No.1 Lorena Ochoa kept herself within striking distance with a 65 that was highlighted by an eagle at the seventh.

"It was a good day," Ochoa said. "You know, I don't know why the scores were so low. I was surprised to see that because the course is playing tough.

"But at the same time, we're playing in the morning, the wind was never too hard, maybe 10 miles (per hour) at the most, and the greens were soft. We were able to be aggressive and do it. That's why we made a few birdies out there."

She was tied with American Diana D'Alessio two shots off the pace.

AFP