Ochoa is closer to the top

The race is on for the No. 1 ranking in women’s golf, and Thursday in the first round of the Kraft Nabisco, Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam took off in opposite directions.

Ochoa’s path was more effective, a three-under-par 69, while Sorenstam had trouble negotiating her way around Mission Hills Country Club and wound up with a three-over 75.

Ochoa can replace Sorenstam at No. 1 with a victory Sunday, but she’s not even the leader at Rancho Mirage. That would be Shi Hyun Ahn, whose 68 set the pace on opening day of the LPGA’s first major of the year.

It wasn’t a particularly good day for scoring, but Ochoa was four under when she made the turn. She didn’t make another birdie until she rolled in a six-footer at the 18th.

Karrie Webb, in the same group as Ochoa, began defense of her title with a 70 that was nearly a lot better than that -- she narrowly missed holing out from the fairway at the 18th. Instead, the ball stopped less than a foot away.

Webb slammed her club in mock protest, in memory of her eagle on the 72nd hole a year ago when she holed out from the fairway to get into a playoff.

Said Webb: “Just being a little sarcastic.”

Said Ochoa, who caught Webb’s act: “I have no problem making those on Thursday.”

Ochoa wanted a fast start and that’s just what she got, but with only one birdie the last nine holes, she headed back out to the putting green soon after to iron out some issues. She said she wanted to see the ball going in the hole consistently.

That’s something Sorenstam could have used.

Sorenstam missed only two fairways, but that was the extent of her highlights. The rest was four bogeys and a double bogey to go along with three birdies.

It was her worst opening round at Mission Hills since she shot 76 in 2000 and tied for 17th.

And Sorenstam didn’t see a three-over kind of round coming.

“I’d like to forget about the day,” she said. “It’s not the start I wanted. Disappointed is really the word. I felt good coming in here, felt ready ... but I’m not going to have this ruin the rest of the week.”

The worst of it was at the 405-yard par-four 13th, her fourth hole, where she chunked her chip and wound up three-putting for a double bogey.

“I really want to throw this day out,” she said.

They all count, but Sorenstam wasn’t the only one who would have liked to toss Thursday away and start fresh.

Juli Inkster, who has won here twice, started out with a 75 and had no trouble identifying her main problem: “My putting stinks.”

But Inkster said she’s not going to switch putters.

“I don’t think it’s the putter,” she said “I think it’s the puttee, unfortunately.”

There were 12 rounds in the 80s, only Ahn and Ochoa shot in the 60s and nine broke par. Last year, 23 shot under par in the first round.

Mission Hills has been stretched only 104 yards since last year, to 6,673 yards. That may seem like a slight change, but combined with firm greens and higher rough, no one was shooting 10 under like Ochoa did in the first round last year, setting the course record with a 62.

The biggest changes in the course are on the front. The par-five second is 13 yards longer at 517 yards and the still-short par-four seventh is 395 yards, 17 yards longer. The par-four 16th is 17 yards longer, but it’s only 407 yards.

Webb, who is tied for third with Maria Hjorth, Jee Young Lee and Catriona Matthew, said the greens are the most difficult part of the setup, not the added length.

“They’re Sunday-hard right now,” she said. “I think they’re going to have to watch it a little bit so they don’t get ridiculous and unplayable.

“You’re really looking at a really hard, brown shiny surface.”

Meanwhile, Ochoa is looking at an opportunity to claim the No. 1 ranking, not by the end of the year, but by Sunday afternoon. She said she’s calm about the whole issue and trying to stay in her comfort zone by reminding herself it’s just another tournament, even if it is not.

“Just trying not to think too much that this is a major, this is important, this is a big tournament,” she said. “You know, just kind of play like any other day and things will work easier for you.

“I don’t feel that pressure. I’m just trying to enjoy, and it’s been working. I think it’s a process.

“I do want to keep playing good. My goal is to finish No. 1.”

thomas.bonk@latimes.com

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Leaderboard

Leaders after one round of the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship at Rancho Mirage:

*--* Shi Hyun Ahn...33-35--68 -4 Lorena Ochoa...32-37--69 -3 Maria Hjorth...36-34--70 -2 Jee Young Lee...34-36--70 -2 Catriona Matthew...34-36--70 -2 Karrie Webb...35-35--70 -2 Sherri Steinhauer...37-34--71 -1 Brittany Lang...36-35--71 -1 Pat Hurst...36-35--71 -1

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