Sorenstam in front at Ochoa Invitational

Nov 14, 2008 - 12:38 PM GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Ticker) - Annika Sorenstam headlines an eight-way tie for first place entering Friday's second round at the inaugural Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

Looking for her fourth LPGA Tour victory of the season - and first since announcing she will step away from competitive golf at the end of the year - Sorenstam registered bogeys on the 14th and 16th holes on Thursday, but recovered with a birdie on the par-5 18th to finish the opening round with a 4-under-par 68.

Sorenstam got off to a nice start, carding three birdies on the first six holes before stumbling on the back nine.

Her last victory was the Michelob ULTRA Open in May, but since then her best finish was a third-place showing at June's LPGA Championship.

Of course, she's not alone atop the leaderboard.

Yani Tseng, who earlier this year became the first player from Taiwan to win the LPGA Championship, also carded a 4-under on Thursday. She is joined at the top by a slew of players in search of their first victories of the season, including Brittany Lang, Nicole Castrale, British veteran Karen Stupples and South Korean Hee-Won Han.

Angela Stanford, who won the Bell Micro LPGA Classic two months ago, is also tied at 4-under after an up-and-down first round in which she carded seven birdies and three bogeys.

The eight co-leaders have a one-stroke lead over Sophie Gustafson, Jee Young Lee, Meena Lee and Na Yeon Choi.

It was a rough day for the tournament's namesake, Ochoa, who is pulling double duty this week as she is hosting the $1 million event and playing alongside 35 other players at the Guadalajara Country Club. Though she grew up playing on this course, she bogeyed the fourth and sixth holes and finished the day tied for 24th with a 1-over 73.

In search of her eighth victory of the season, Ochoa has mathematically locked up the Rolex Player of the Year honors and is the star attraction in her native Guadalajara at the third and final Mexican event on the 2008 LPGA Tour schedule.

Ochoa is facing a field that includes 32 of the top 33 players on the 2008 LPGA Official Money List as well as five sponsor exemptions, two of whom - Juli Inkster and Laura Davies - have a combined 51 tour wins.

Paula Creamer, looking for her fifth win of the season, also struggled during Thursday's first round. She posted three bogeys on the back nine to card a 3-over 75, dropping to 35th place and just one stroke out of the basement.

The event is serving as the final tune-up for players competing in the 2008 ADT Championship. It is the 15th LPGA Tour event hosted by an LPGA Tour player.

First prize is $200,000.