Azahara Munoz, Ai Miyazato share first-round lead of ANA Inspiration

Azahara Munoz bogeyed the par-five 18th hole in breezy afternoon conditions Thursday at the ANA Inspiration to drop into a tie for the first-round lead with Ai Miyazato.

Munoz and Miyazato shot five-under-par 67 in the first major championship of the year. Miyazato played in the morning session before the wind picked up at Mission Hills.

Munoz hit her second shot on 18 into the right fairway bunker and her third went through the green to the back fringe, leaving a downhill putt that she hit to within seven feet.

Shiho Oyama, Catriona Matthew and Lee-Anne Pace were a stroke back.

Lexi Thompson, the 2014 winner, was at 69 in a large group that included Ha Na Jang, In Gee Chun and Gerina Piller. Top-ranked Lydia Ko opened with a 70.

Hoffman leads Houston Open

Charley Hoffman birdied half the holes on the Golf Club of Houston course Thursday and had just a single bogey to shoot an eight-under-par 64 and take the first-round lead of the Shell Houston Open.

Hoffman birdied the first four holes of his back nine, then added another birdie on No. 8. That broke him out of what had been a four-way tie for first with Dustin Johnson, Roberto Castro and Scott Brown, who all shot 65s.

Hoffman’s performance puts him in contention to claim the final spot in next week’s Masters.

But the three-time PGA Tour winner from San Diego hasn’t held up well on the weekends this season after giving himself good opportunities to claim titles. Closing 75s in his last two stroke-play tournaments knocked him out of likely top-10 finishes.