Kim shoots record 61

Paris - Hyo-Joo Kim fired a stunning 10-under-par 61 – the lowest ever round in men’s or women’s major - to take a four stroke lead after the first round of the Evian Championship in France.

The 19-year-old from South Korea fired 10 birdies on a sunny day at the Evian Resort Golf Club, with five on both the front and back nine.

“My goal is have a good experience in here. That's all,” said Kim.

She has four professional victories in total and had previously shot an 11-under-par 61 on the LPGA of Japan in 2013.

The World No 20, who leads the Korean LPGA money list after three wins this season, birdied the first, third, fourth, sixth and ninth holes. She continued with birdies on holes 11, 13, 14, 16 and 18 to seal the lowest round in a Major and the tournament record for 18 holes on the redesigned Evian Resort Golf Course.

The previous lowest round in a women’s major championship was 62, by Minea Blomqvist at the 2004 Women’s British Open at Sunningdale, which was equalled by Lorena Ochoa at the 2006 Kraft Nabisco Championship.

The lowest round in a men’s major is 63 which has been recorded multiple times.

Birdies

Australian Karrie Webb, the 2006 Evian Masters champion, is four strokes behind Kim in second position after opening with six-under-par 65, containing eight birdies and two bogeys, while South Korean MJ Hur is a stroke further behind in solo third.

The defending champion Suzann Pettersen of Norway opened with a four-under 67 to share fourth place with Brittany Lincicome of the United States.

A large group of six players including last week’s Helsingborg Open champion Dewi-Claire Schreefel from the Netherlands and French Solheim Cup player Karine Icher share sixth place on three-under-par.

Michelle Wie, the US Women’s Open champion, retired after 13 holes during the first round due to pain from a stress reaction in her right index finger, having last played at the Meijer LPGA Classic in early August, where she had to retire for the same reason during the first round.

FIRST ROUND SCORES:

61 - Hyo-Joo Kim (KOR)

65 - Karrie Webb (AUS)

66 - Mi Jung Hur (KOR)

67 - Suzann Pettersen (NOR) , Brittany Lincicome (USA)

68 - Mariajo Uribe (COL) , Sarah-Jane Smith (AUS) , Amy Yang (KOR) , Julieta Granada (PAR) , Dewi Claire Schreefel (NED) , Karine Icher (FRA)

69 - Paula Creamer (USA) , Il Hee Lee (KOR) , Se Ri Pak (KOR) , Moriya Jutanugarn (THA) , Inbee Park (KOR) , Jaye Marie Green (USA) , Mika Miyazato (JPN) , I.K. Kim (KOR) , Mina Harigae (USA) , Candie Kung (TPE) , Ayako Uehara (JPN) , In Gee Chun (KOR) , Emily Kristine Pedersen (DNK) , Lydia Ko (NZL) , Juli Inkster (USA) , Lizette Salas (USA)

70 - Kristy Mcpherson (USA) , Lexi Thompson (USA) , Amy Anderson (USA) , Kris Tamulis (USA) , Amelia Lewis (USA) , Morgan Pressel (USA) , So Yeon Ryu (KOR) , Line Vedel (DEN) , Ha-Na Jang (KOR) , Laura Davies (ENG) , Azahara Munoz (ESP) , Stacy Lewis (USA) , Shanshan Feng (CHN) , Na Yeon Choi (KOR) , Caroline Hedwall (SWE)

71 - Charley Hull (ENG) , Lindsey Wright (AUS) , Jennifer Song (USA) , Christina Kim (USA) , Mirim Lee (KOR) , Anna Nordqvist (SWE) , Thidapa Suwannapura (THA) , Meena Lee (KOR) , Jing Yan (CHN) , Florentyna Parker (ENG) , Katherine Kirk (AUS) , Sakura Yokomine (JPN) , Sydnee Michaels (USA) , Sarah Kemp (AUS) , Brittany Lang (USA) , Marina Alex (USA) , Celine Boutier (FRA) , Cristie Kerr (USA) , Gerina Piller (USA)

72 - Sandra Gal (GER) , Tiffany Joh (USA) , Jessica Korda (USA) , Hee Young Park (KOR) , Joanna Klatten (FRA) , Gwladys Nocera (FRA), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (ENG), Minjee Lee (AUS), Trish Johnson (ENG), Mi Hyang Lee (KOR), Beatriz Recari (ESP)

73 - Pernilla Lindberg (SWE) , Pornanong Phatlum (THA) , Lee-Anne Pace (RSA) , Julie Greciet (FRA) , Ji Young Oh (KOR)

74 - Ai Miyazato (JPN) , Valentine Derrey (FRA) , Dori Carter (USA) , Jane Park (USA) , Kristen Gillman (USA)

75 - Nikki Campbell (AUS) , Christel Boeljon (NED) , Eun-Hee Ji (KOR) , Kylie Walker (SCO) , Jenny Shin (KOR) , Camilla Lennarth (SWE) , Catriona Matthew (SCO) , Haru Nomura (JPN) , Belen Mozo (ESP) , Brooke Pancake (USA) , Laura Diaz (USA) , Ashleigh Simon (RSA) , Xi Yu Lin (CHN)

76 - Haeji Kang (KOR) , Sun Young Yoo (KOR) , Austin Ernst (USA) , Yani Tseng (TPE) , Patcharajutar Kongkraphan (THA) , Kim Kaufman (USA) , Angela Stanford (USA) , Jee Young Lee (KOR)

77 - Giulia Sergas (ITA) , Ariane Provot (FRA) , Katie Burnett (USA) , Alejandra Llaneza (MEX) , Jennifer Johnson (USA) , Caroline Masson (GER) , Jennifer Rosales (PHL) , Cheyenne Woods (USA) , Carlota Ciganda (ESP) , Chella Choi (KOR)

78 - Alison Walshe (USA) , Kelly Tan (MYS) , Caroline Afonso (FRA) , Alena Sharp (CAN)

79 - Danielle Kang (USA)

82 - Paz Echeverria (CHL)

RTD - Michelle Wie (USA).