Alena SharpCarlos Osorio/The Globe and Mail
Alena Sharp sits five strokes off the lead after an opening round 71 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first major of the LPGA season.
Sharp had four birdies and three bogeys on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.
American's Brittany Lincicome and Stacey Lewis share the lead after shooting 6-under 66, one stroke better than early pace setters Mika Miyazato of Japan and Germany's Sandra Gal, who picked up her first career LPGA victory last weekend.
Another Japanese player, Chie Arimura, and American Jane Park are one stroke back while Karrie Webb - a two-time winner on the tour already this season - is tied for seventh with American Reilley Rankin and Swede Anna Nordqvist at 3-under.
Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., is seven strokes back after shooting an opening round 73. Sherlock, a rookie on the LPGA Tour, earned an invitation to season's first major following her tie for 32nd place last weekend at the Kia Classic.
World number one Yani Tseng opened with a 70 to sit four shots behind the leaders while U.S. Open champion Paula Creamer opened with a 73. Canadian Open champion Michelle Wie also struggled with a 74.
LPGA champion Cristie Kerr stumbled to an opening round 78. After making a birdie and two bogey's on the front nine, Kerr went bogey-double bogey-bogey over a three hole stretch starting at No. 14 to finish at 6-over.