Angela Park holds a slender advantage at the Safeway Classic after a six-under-par 66 at Columbia Edgewater Country Club gave her the first-round lead on Friday.

Park, searching for her first LPGA title in her second year on tour, produced a flawless effort that contained six birdies as she finished a stroke ahead of six other players.

"I'm eager to get my first win but eagerness doesn't mean my win is not going to come" Park said.

"So I try to play just one game at a time, one hole at a time. So, you know, when it's my time, it will happen."

Helen Alfredsson and Sophie Gustafson each sank five birdies en route to five-under-par 67s. Kelli Kuehne, Hee Young Park, Karen Stupples and Song-Hee Kim also joined the pair on five-under.

Kuehne stood at three-over after three holes but fought back with eight birdies to thrust herself firmly into contention.

"I got off to a rocky start," Kuehne admitted.

"After doubling the first hole and bogeying the second hole, my caddie Nick just said, 'Let's regroup.'

"Then I started driving some good shots. The course is perfect as usual, so I had some opportunities and was able to make some shots."

Defending champion Lorena Ochoa birdied four of her last five holes to card an opening three-under-par 69.

"For some reason, it took me a while to start," she said.

"I didn't start out making birdies today, but I finished strong. It gives me motivation for the rest of the week."

Ochoa leads the LPGA Tour with six wins this season but her last came in May at the Sybase Classic. She still tops the money list with just over

2.3million and has 13 top-10 finishes to her name in 15 starts.

Canadian Women's Open champion Katherine Hull followed last week's breakthrough victory with a one-under 71.

After producing an even-par 36 over the front nine, she collected four birdies and three bogeys on the way back.

Hull closed last week with a 69 to hold off Se Ri Pak by one stroke for the first of her career.

Several other notable players are also in the hunt including Paula Creamer (69), Suzann Pettersen (69), Inbee Park (70) and Annika Sorenstam (72).