German rookie Masson leads LPGA Shootout

IRVING, Texas (AFP) –

Caroline Masson of Germany hits a shot during the first round of the 2013 North Texas LGPA Shootout athe Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas, on April 25, 2013.

German LPGA rookie Caroline Masson fired a seven-under 64 to grab a two-shot lead after the first round of the inaugural North Texas LPGA Shootout.

Masson, who has missed the cut in four of her five prior starts this season, on Thursday posted her best score on the LPGA tour, and had a two-stroke lead over Spain’s Carlota Ciganda — last year’s rookie of the year on the Ladies European Tour.

World No. 1 Park In-Bee of South Korea carded a four-under par 67 to head a group sharing third place that also included compatriot Hur Mi-Jung, England‘s Felicity Johnson and Americans Mo Martin and Kristy McPherson.

Amateur Taylor Coleman carded a three-under 68 to share eighth place with South Korean Park Hee-Young and American Christina Kim.

Coleman, 16, qualified for the tournament via a High School Shootout qualifier on Monday.

Masson nabbed seven birdies without a bogey, and was unfazed by the north Texas wind.

“For some reason I feel like I’m playing pretty good in the wind,” Masson said. “My win on the LET in South Africa was also in really, really windy conditions.

“And yeah, I’m hitting it well, so I think the wind doesn’t affect my ball too much, and that will definitely help me throughout the week.

“But it’s just also important to just make some putts on these greens because without putting well, I think you have no chance to shoot a really good round here. So it’s just all coming together, really.”

Stacy Lewis, the world No. 2 who must finish fifth or better to have any chance of supplanting Park atop the world rankings this week, bogeyed two of her last three holes en route to a one-over 72.

She’ll have her work cut out to catch Park, a solid putter who was enjoying the speedy greens at Las Colinas.

“I love fast greens, rolling greens,” Park said. “I love the greens here.”

There will be a cut to the top 70 and ties following the second round on Friday, then as part of the “shootout” format there will be a second cut on Saturday to further reduce the field.