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Alison Lee’s birdie barrage gives her share of lead at LPGA Malaysia

October 8, 2015
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

By Brian Han

Korean American Alison Lee may be a 20-year-old UCLA student, but right now she’s on the other side of the world co-leading the LPGA Malaysia after a first round 6-under 65.

This is her first professional appearance since the emotional debacle at the Solheim Cup, which left her in tears.

Lee left all that baggage behind and came out firing with five birdies through the first eight holes on Thursday at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Her only bogey came on the par-3 17th after she and the rest of the field weathered a three-hour delay caused by rain and lightning.

Lee made her debut at the Solheim Cup in Germany last month in which Suzann Pettersen called for a penalty on her after the rookie picked up a short putt during a match play event. She thought her opponents had conceded the putt, but Pettersen denied the whole thing leading to tears from both sides.

Xi Yu Lin is tied at 5-under, while Korean American Michelle Wie is a stroke behind with Chella Choi, Shanshan Feng and Yani Tseng.