February 2012, Melbourne, Australia: Australian Sarah Kemp and Stacy Lewis of the United States share the first-round lead after shooting a pair of four-under 69s at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open on Thursday.

Kemp (pictured) was bogey-free around the Composite Course at Royal Melbourne Golf Club while Lewis combined two bogeys in her front nine with six birdies.

Kemp, who is a member of the LPGA and Ladies European Tours, said: “I hit the ball really well. I have been hitting the ball well lately. I did not hole that many putts last week but I hit the ball pretty similar to today. The conditions were really good this morning. I guess I took advantage of it.”

When asked about the golf course, which she had not played before despite having been a member of the Australian Institute of Sport, the 26-year-old from Tuncurry in New South Wales added: “I love it; it's tops. I can see why it is Australia's best golf course. It is a privilege to have the first women's professional golf tournament here. It is awesome.”

Stacy Lewis said that she fell in love with Royal Melbourne the first time she played the Composite Course this week. Of course it didn’t hurt that she got a few tips from honorary Royal Melbourne member Greg Norman before her trip.

Lewis plays at Norman’s course, the Medalist, in Florida and she said that a few of the LPGA players who are members there sought out advice from Norman before heading overseas to this week’s event.

“You can hit a lot of similar shots in practice there,” Lewis said of her course in Florida. “We hit a lot of bump and runs up to the greens. That was good practice. We got some tips from him. He said to be below the hole and if we were above the hole make sure the next one was below it. And always take the shorter club if you are in between. I used that.”

Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng didn’t take long to find herself back near the top of a leader board again. Tseng, who is coming off 12 worldwide victories in 2011 including one at last year’s ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, shot a three under 70 on Thursday and sits one shot behind the leaders.

Tseng had six birdies on the day but bookended her round with bogeys, one on the 10th to begin the round and finishing up with a bogey on the par-4 9th hole.

“It was disappointing to finish with a three-putt on the last hole,” Tseng said. “It is probably the toughest hole on the course. But I am still very happy shooting three under today. That's three under on an amazing golf course. I am really excited and can't wait to go out and challenge it again.”

Top Australian Karrie Webb,  ranked 19^th in the world, got a little assistance from one of her fellow Australians during Thursday’s opening round when a fan noticed that Webb was about to replace her ball in the wrong spot on the green.

Webb had moved her ball mark for her playing partner, Tseng, and when she went to put it back, she moved it in the wrong direction. Just before Webb was about to putt, the fan spoke up and informed her of the mistake. It allowed Webb to replace her ball in the proper spot and saved her a two-stroke penalty.

“It really caught me off guard,” Webb said. “It was pretty courageous of him. There was a group of people and they were talking. I was hoping that they'd settle down before I got over the putt. They were all discussing that I had moved it the wrong way.”

The LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member, who shot a two-over 75 on Thursday, went over to personally thank the fan after the hole and Webb gave him her ball as a sign of her appreciation for his courage to speak up.

Scores after round 1 of the ISPS HANDA Australian Open being played at the par 73, 5976 Metres Royal Melbourne GC course (a- denotes amateur):-

69: Sarah Kemp (AUS), Stacy Lewis (USA).

70: Julieta Granada (PAR), Yani Tseng (TPE), Brittany Lincicome (USA).

71: Sarah Oh (AUS), Jessica Speechley (AUS), Sandra Gal (GER), So Yeon Ryu (KOR), Melissa Reid (ENG).

72: Jessica Korda (USA), Sophie Giquel-Bettan (FRA), Belen Mozo (ESP), Eun-Hee Ji (KOR), Jenny Shin (KOR), Gerina Piller (USA), Lorie Kane (CAN), Jiyai Shin (KOR), Jimin Kang (KOR), Nikki Campbell (AUS), Ashleigh Simon (RSA), Victoria Tanco (ARG).

73: Rebecca Lee-Bentham (CAN), Julia Boland (AUS), Janice Moodie (SCO), Jin Young Pak (KOR), Diana Luna (ITA), Jennifer Johnson (USA), Meaghan Francella (USA), Caroline Hedwall (SWE), Kym Larratt (ENG).

74: Jody Fleming (AUS), Stephanie Sherlock (CAN), Joanna Klatten (FRA), Cydney Clanton (USA), Na On Min (KOR), Giulia Sergas (ITA), Jennifer Song (USA), Lexi Thompson (USA), Laura Davies (ENG), Brittany Lang (USA), Alison Walshe (USA), Sun Young Yoo (KOR), Amanda Blumenherst (USA), Lydia Ko (am, NZL), Christel Boeljon (NED), Hee-Won Han (KOR), Katie Futcher (USA), Chella Choi (KOR), Gwladys Nocera (FRA), Marianne Skarpnord (NOR).

75: Haru Nomura (JPN), Jane Rah (USA), Cathleen Santoso (am, AUS), Ji Young Oh (KOR), Cristie Kerr (USA), Karrie Webb (AUS), Christina Kim (USA), Angela Stanford (USA), Hee Kyung Seo (KOR), Lee-Anne Pace (RSA), Jodi Ewart (ENG), Sandra Changkija (USA), Dori Carter (USA), Meredith Duncan (USA), Danielle Kang (USA), Annie Choi (am, KOR).

76: Sarah Jane Smith (AUS), Meena Lee (KOR), Caroline Masson (GER), Sydnee Michaels (USA), Line Vedel (DEN), Su-Hyun Oh (am, AUS), Samantha Whittle (AUS), Beatriz Recari (ESP), Tamie Durdin (AUS), Morgan Pressel (USA), Hee Young Park (KOR), Kristie Smith (AUS), Azahara Munoz (ESP), Kristy McPherson (USA), Anna Nordqvist (SWE), Ryann O'Toole (USA), Vicky Thomas (AUS), Mo Martin (USA), Dewi Claire Schreefel (NED), Courtney Massey (AUS).

77: Felicity Johnson (ENG), Pernilla Lindberg (SWE), Karin Sjodin (SWE), Cathryn Bristow (NZL), Rebecca Codd (IRE), Karine Icher (FRA), Haeji Kang (KOR), Becky Morgan (WAL), Ha-Neul Kim (KOR), Cindy LaCrosse (USA), Mindy Kim (USA), Kyeong Bae (KOR), Alison Whitaker (AUS), Beth Allen (USA).

78: Hae-Rym Kim (KOR), Ashlee Dewhurst (am, AUS), Nikki Garrett (AUS), Tiffany Joh (USA), Inbee Park (KOR), Amy Hung (TPE), Mina Harigae (USA), Karen Lunn (AUS), Stephanie Kono (USA), Lynnette Brooky (NZL), Becky Brewerton (WAL), Christine Song (USA), Numa Gulyanamitta (THA).

79: Lisa Ferrero (USA), Hannah Yun (USA), Jennie Lee (USA), Rachel Bailey (AUS), Lindsey Wright (AUS), Candie Kung (TPE), Heather Bowie Young (USA), Caroline Bon (NZL), Kathleen Ekey (USA).

80: Rebecca Flood (AUS), Minea Blomqvist (FIN), Paige Mackenzie (USA), Ilhee Lee (KOR), Ayaka Kaneko (JPN), Song-Hee Kim (KOR), Sophie Gustafson (SWE), Suzann Pettersen (NOR), Linda Wessberg (SWE), Stephanie Na (AUS), Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (FRA).

81: Kendall Dye (USA), Katherine Hull (AUS), Kris Tamulis (USA), Frances Bondad (AUS), Joanne Mills (AUS), Jane Park (USA), Karlin Beck (USA), Kate Little (AUS).

82: Rachel Jennings (ENG), Laura Diaz (USA), Vicky Hurst (USA), Wendy Doolan (AUS), Danielle Montgomery (ENG).

83: Katelyn Must (AUS), Irene Cho (USA), Kiran Matharu (ENG).

84: Angela Oh (USA).

85: Pornanong Phatlum (THA), Tamara Johns (AUS), Bree Arthur (AUS).

87: Stacey Keating (AUS).

91: Jessica Parker (AUS).

Source: LET Media Release