June 4, 1999

WEST POINT, Miss. (AP) - Jenny Chuasiriporn, the amateur who forced a 20-hole playoff in last year's U.S Women's Open, had the early lead during her professional debut in the same major.

Then the former Duke star got to the back nine at Old Waverly Golf Club on Thursday.

Things started innocently enough when Chuasiriporn hit the fairway with her drive at No. 10, a 520-yard par 5. But her 4-wood approach went wide right, bounding hard off the cart path and going out of bounds.

"The mishit on No. 10 shook me up," Chuasiriporn admitted.

And it affected her for several holes.

Her penalty shot at the 10th landed in the rough. By the time she got on the green and three-putted for a triple-bogey, Chuasiriporn had fallen back to even par and out of the lead.

Chuasiriporn followed with a double-bogey at No. 11 after her second shot -- another 4-wood -- found Lake Waverly that borders the entire left side of the 408-yard hole.

After adding a bogey with a three-putt at the 151-yard 12th hole, Chuasiriporn was 3-over. She had another double-bogey and bogey before finally getting a 15-foot birdie at the 183-yard 17th hole.

Chuasiriporn had a 44 on the back nine to finish at 5-over 77, 13 strokes behind first-round leader Kelli Kuehne.

"Two nines like that ... it's just mental, there's no excuse for it," Chuasiriporn said. "But I had a good front nine to balance it out. I actually feel really good coming off the day."