Brittany Lang shoots 6-under 66 to top Mizuno Classic leaderboard

Brittany Lang leads Mizuno Classic

SHIMA, Japan — American Brittany Lang shot a 6-under 66 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Japan’s Nobuko Kizawa and South Korea’s Hee Young Park after the first round of the Mizuno Classic.

Lang, the long-hitting former Duke star who is winless in four seasons on the LPGA Tour, reached 7 under at Kintetsu Kashikojima with an eagle on the par-5 seventh, but bogeyed the eighth and finished the round with a par.

Vicky Hurst, 2007 winner Momoko Ueda, Bo Bae Song and Mi-Jeong Jeon opened with 68s, and defending champion Jiyai Shin and Japanese star Ai Miyazato topped a group at 69. Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa had a 71 in the event co-sanctioned by the Japan LPGA.