Two-time defending champion Lorena Ochoa was a stroke back.

The 37-year-old Sorenstam came into the $2 million (euro1.29 million) tournament off a dominating seven-stroke victory in the Michelob Ultra Open last weekend, and she was just as good getting around the Upper Montclair Country Club course in the shadow of New York City. The Swede had five birdies in a bogey-free round.

“I’m just very happy the way I’m playing,” said Sorenstam, who has three victories this year after failing to win in an injury-marred 2007 season. “I worked really hard this winter and it’s all coming together. My swing fells really good and my putting feels really good. This is the way I enjoy the game. It’s fairways and greens.”

Kim Song-hee, a South Korean who is playing her second year on the U.S. women’s tour and has two top-10 finishes this season, also was at 67 along with Australia’s Rachel Hetherington, who has missed three of eight cuts and finished no better than a tie for 24th this year.

The leaderboard was crowded after the first day of the 72-hole event. Ochoa, a five-time winner this year, was at 68 along with Pat Hurst, Catriona Matthew, Brittany Lang, Teresa Lu and Carolina Llano.

U.S. Women’s Open champion Cristie Kerr was in another big group at 69.

After posting her 72nd career win Sunday, Sorenstam seemed to take the weight of a major decision off her shoulders Tuesday by announcing that this would be her final season.

She returned to the course Thursday and had more fun playing in the group behind Ochoa, the Mexican who replaced her as the No. 1 player in women’s golf last year.

With a couple of fans urging her not to retire, Sorenstam had a near flawless round in making birdies from the tap-in range to 10 feet.

Ochoa, who always keeps an eye on the scoreboard, noticed.

“Seeing Annika’s name, we’re all used to that,” Ochoa said. “She’s there every week.”

Ochoa had as many birdies as Sorenstam, but her round was marred by tough luck on the par-4 12th hole. The pin on the dogleg hole was back right and guarded by a pond. Ochoa’s second shot from the fairway 196 yards away landed on the right edge and bounced into the pond. A foot the other way and she would have been putting for a birdie instead of bogey.

“You have to accept it’s just a bad break,” Ochoa said. “I mean it’s only the first day, so hopefully I’ll get good breaks.”

Kim, who had a career-best two-place finish at the Corona Championship in Mexico in April, also had five birdies and no bogeys.

Hetherington, who like Kim played in the afternoon, had a bogey and six birdies, highlighted by three straight to finish the front nine.

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