Choi makes opening statement at Women’s Open

In a tournament that has recently crowned winners both unknown (Inbee Park, Birdie Kim) and unmatched (Kerr, Annika Sorenstam), the first round of the 64th version began with a little of both. Ochoa and Kerr have combined for 38 LPGA Tour victories. Choi and Reynolds have combined for 44 LPGA Tour starts.

But it was Choi setting the tone yesterday, making birdies on her first three holes and four of her first five, proving that precise play will be rewarded this week. She also set the pace, her 3-under-par 68 at Saucon Valley Country Club good for a one-stroke lead over Ochoa, Kerr, and Reynolds.

“This is the biggest tournament on our schedule,’’ said Choi. “And I started well today, but I’m not going to let it slide. I’m just going to make sure that I play the best to the end.’’

Choi isn’t a complete unknown to faithful followers of the LPGA Tour. She was second last year to Yani Tseng in the race for rookie of the year honors, and hasn’t missed a cut this season. She also contended in the most recent major, finishing eighth at the LPGA Championship.

Birdies on her first three holes - she started on No. 10 - gave Choi a quick lead, punctuated by laser-like approach shots: 2 feet to the 10th hole, 7 feet to the 11th, 1 foot to the 12th, 6 feet to the 14th. Later in the round she dialed long distance, dropping a 50-footer for birdie on the par-4 third and picking up almost two shots on the field, since the hole played to a 4.81 average. Two late bogeys scarred the card, but couldn’t sour Choi’s enthusiasm.

“I know it’s a difficult course, but, you know, I was really excited to start my round today,’’ Choi said. “I thought this was going to be a very, very interesting week for me.’’

Kerr knows what it takes to win the Women’s Open, having taken the 2007 title at Pine Needles. She knows the patience required this week, and how no hardware gets handed out after the first round.

“Every day is kind of its own separate competition, and today I did about as good as anybody is going to do,’’ said Kerr, who had an early tee time. “I’m an Open champion. I kind of know what to expect.’’

Kerr sandwiched three birdies around a lone bogey, on the long par-4 seventh. She’s already won on tour this year, with seven other top-10 finishes.

Ochoa has a similar 2009 résumé (two wins, four other top-10s), but is still chasing that first Women’s Open trophy. She followed the right recipe, hitting plenty of fairways (11 of 14) and greens (12 of 18) and not putting herself in too much trouble. A bogey from the middle of the 14th fairway infuriated her, but a lengthy birdie putt on No. 2 inspired her.

“It first went left and then went right, went left and went left and then went right. It was a good surprise,’’ Ochoa said. “Anything in the red numbers to start a US Open, I will take.’’

Reynolds is a two-time winner this year on the Futures Tour and leads the money list, giving her an excellent chance to secure a Tour card for 2010. A 24-year-old graduate of the University of Georgia, Reynolds has played exceptionally well of late: In her last five tournaments, she has two seconds, a third, and a win in her last start. She’s packing plenty of confidence.

“The past month I’ve had a lot of under-par rounds, so I came out here expecting to have a good round and play solid,’’ said Reynolds. “So this is a nice feeling, to shoot 2 under in the first round.’’

She certainly didn’t seem rattled, making a birdie on No. 1, three other birdies - including a holed bunker shot on No. 12 - and just missing a closing birdie, which would have tied her for the lead. It might be only Reynolds’s second Women’s Open (she missed the cut badly last year) but her expectations are lofty.

“I came in here not thinking about the cut,’’ Reynolds said. “I was thinking more about being in contention.’’

Hee Young Park was two shots back at 1 under, and the large group at even par included Anna Nordqvist, who won the LPGA Championship. Paula Creamer led the contingent at 1 over, still only four shots back, with plenty of golf to play.