A seemingly small adjustment turned into a big deal for Ai Miyazato.
Miyazato (pictured), who changed the loft on her putter recently, shot a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 on Thursday to tie for the first-round lead with Azahara Munoz of Spain in the ANA Inspiration, first LPGA Tour major of the year, at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
The 30-year-old from Japan, who has won nine times on the circuit but not since 2012, birdied four of the first six holes and two-putted the 18th hole on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course for another birdie to take sole possession of the lead.
“The loft on my putter was 2-degrees, but I changed it to 4 and it helped me on my forward press,” said Miyazato, whose putter helped her tie for third last week in the Kia Classic, her first top-10 finish since 2013. “I’m really happy with it.
” … (Finishing third last week) was huge. I definitely gained my confidence and I really felt good with my game again. I was kind of really happy to play golf again. I like my game again. I was kind of struggling the last couple years. It was really hard.”
Munoz, whose only LPGA victory came in the 2012 Sybase Match Play Championship, collected six birdies and held a one-stroke lead late in the day before missing a seven-foot par putt after hitting her third shot long at No. 18 to also finish at 67.
“Obviously, I just didn’t want to go in the water on 18,” said Munoz, who put up her best score of the year. “The lie wasn’t the best, it was into the wind and it just went long.
“But I liked my attitude. I stayed calm and didn’t get upset out there, no matter what happened. It was a good walk out there and I made the best of it.”
Catriona Matthew of Scotland, who has won four times on the LPGA Tour including the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open, collected six birdies in a 68 and was tied for third with Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa and Shiho Oyama of Japan.
Third-ranked Lexi Thompson, the 2014 champion at Mission Hills, birdied her last hole, No. 9, to finish at 69 and tie for sixth with Gerina Piller, Ha Na Jang of South Korea, Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, Amy Yang of South Korea, Ryan O’Toole, Mi-Hyang Lee of South Korea and In Gee Chun of South Korea.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko of New Zealand, coming off a victory in the Kia Classic, opened with a 70 and was tied for 14h with second-ranked Inbee Park of South Korea, Michelle Wie, Kelly Tan of Taiwan, Jennifer Song, Charley Hull of England, Na Yeon Choi of South Korea, Caroline Masson of Germany, Alena Sharp of Canada, and I.K. Kim of South Korea.
“I was striking my irons and everything fairly good, but I didn’t hit my drive very well, especially on the back nine,” said the 18-year-old Ko, who claimed her first major title last year in the Evian Championship in France.
“I gave myself quite a few looks up the hill for birdie, but I just wasn’t able to commit to my speed. I left quite a few out there that were kind of similar — on line, but just short.”
Juli Inkster, the 55-year-old United States captain for the 2015 Solheim Cup who won this tournament in 1984 and 1989, posted a 71 and was tied for 25th, while defending champion Brittany Lincicome opened with a 72 and was in a tie for 40th that included fourth-ranked Stacy Lewis.
