KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- Emilee Klein missed the cut in six of her first 11 tournaments this year and had only one top-50 finish.
"I had some personal issues earlier this year," Klein said. "I'm going to leave it at that, which made the beginning of the year tough. But I've really been working hard on my game lately."
Klein was at the top of her game Thursday, closing with three straight birdies for a 6-under 66 and a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Wachovia Classic. Meg Mallon, Carin Koch, Dawn Coe-Jones, Soo-Yun Kang and Sunny Lee were tied for second.
The leader has played well recently.
"I took a week off during Rochester and since then I don't think I've been out of the top 25," Klein said. "Now, I'm just ready to play golf."
Klein, looking for her fourth career title, was at even par after nine holes, but birdied Nos. 10, 11 and 13 before finishing with three short birdie putts.
Klein needed only 25 putts. She was especially good on the back nine, where she one-putted seven greens.
"This course sets up great for me," Klein said. "It's not that long and I'm not that long. You have to hit it straight and putt well. Those are my strengths."
Not that the Berkleigh Country Club greens were easy. Klein just made them look that way.
"They are very tricky," Klein said. "They are very undulated, very fast, and you have to be in the right part of the green or you have no chance. I made sure I was in the right area all day long and that's a big bonus."
Klein is seeking her first victory since 2001, when she won the Michelob Light Classic. She also won in consecutive weeks in 1996, taking the PING Welch's Championship and Women's British Open.
She is taking nothing for granted.
"It always feels good to play well," Klein said. "But we still have three more rounds and you know I have to keep making birdies. You have to take one round at a time. You don't win the tournament on Thursdays. You win it on Sunday."
The biggest surprise of the first round was Lee, who played on the South Korean tour from 1996-01, missed the cut in all 20 events she entered last year and is in search of her first LPGA victory. Lee was 5 under going to her last hole, the ninth, but a bogey 5 dropped her into the five-way tie for second.
Defending champion Se Ri Pak opened with a 70. She won the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic last week in Sylvania, Ohio, for her third victory of the year.
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