Alfredsson fires career-low 62 for Sybase lead

Golf Betting Lines

05/14/2009 - Clifton, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It was only the first round, but Helen Alfredsson was still nervous standing over her last putt.

"I never shot 62 before," she said.

Until now.

Alfredsson, an 18-year veteran of the LPGA Tour, fired a career-best 10-under 62 in chilly, rainy conditions Thursday to take a two-shot lead at the Sybase Classic.

It was one of those days, the 44-year-old Alfredsson said, when the game seems easy.

"When [you] play good, you wonder why you don't do this all the time because it's so easy," she said. "It's not strenuous, your head is not going crazy, your body doesn't hurt. At my age all that stuff usually comes along with it. So you don't know why."

Alfredsson holed a 70-yard shot for eagle at her second hole -- the par-five 11th -- then collected nine birdies the rest of the way while only making one bogey.

She established a new tournament scoring record, but could have gone even lower. She had a three-putt par at No. 18.

"I was actually pretty close to the pin all day. I hit some good shots, kept myself out of trouble, which is nice for a change," said Alfredsson.

Brittany Lincicome's eight-under 64 was also a career-best, but it left her sitting alone in second place behind Alfredsson.

Suzann Pettersen shot a seven-under 65 for third place and Ji Young Oh had a six-under 66 for fourth.

Alfredsson's low score means many top stars will have to play catch-up over the next three rounds at Upper Montclair Country Club.

Karrie Webb (70), Michelle Wie (70), Natalie Gulbis (70), Paula Creamer (70) and defending champion Lorena Ochoa (71) all posted respectable numbers that paled in comparison to Alfredsson's 62.

"She's a streaky player. When she gets hot, she's hot," said Pettersen. "Obviously she played pretty good today."

Alfredsson followed her eagle at No. 11 with three consecutive birdies, including a chip-in from the edge of the green at the 13th.

She made her only bogey of the round at the 15th, where she three-putted, but followed that with two straight birdies to make the turn in just 30 shots.

At that point, a 59 was not out of the question.

Annika Sorenstam, who announced her retirement ahead of this tournament last year, is the only LPGA Tour player who has ever shot a 59 in competition.

Alfredsson's scoring barrage slowed down on the front nine, however, although she did manage to make four more birdies. A six-foot birdie putt at the par- three eighth -- and that "nervous" par putt on No. 9 -- secured her lowest round in 365 LPGA Tour events.

Last year was a comeback season of sorts for the seven-time LPGA Tour winner from Sweden.

After a herniated disk limited her to just 11 events in 2007 -- she also captained the losing European Solheim Cup team that year -- Alfredsson won twice in 2008, including the lucrative Evian Masters.

"I just wanted to give it two more years," she said. "I felt as good as I've done since I started playing, and it was just fun to get another chance at it.

"It would be nice to do it again."

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