After a gorgeous day of golf Thursday in the McDonald’s LPGA Championship, 67 was the magic number at Bulle Rock. With today’s round remaining before the cut, Birdie Kim, Kim Saiki-Maloney and Angela Park are tied for the lead after each shooting 5-under-par 67.

Thirty-eight golfers in all were under par Thursday, with Laura Davies, Stacy Prammanasudh, Morgan Pressel and Karrie Webb one stroke behind the co-leaders. Nicole Castrale, the winner of the Ginn Tribute last weekend, and Annika Sorenstam, are at 2-under 70.

Defending champion Se Ri Pak finished the day at 1-over 73, and media magnet Michelle Wie ended her day 2-over.

“I’m playing very steady today,” Kim after her round Thursday. “[I] just hit the fairways, make the greens and just make the birdies and make an easy par. I just played easy golf today.”

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Park, a tour rookie, is a first-round leader for the second week in a row. She led the Ginn Tribute after 18 holes at 6-under. Park eventually finished sixth at 3-under after a going 4-over in the final day of play.

“No matter what, doesn’t matter which round you are on — first round, second round, third round, fourth round — the tournament is not over until you make the last putt,” said Park, who has two top-10 finishes in 12 starts.

Unlike Park, a hot start is a turn-around for Saiki-Maloney. She has missed six of nine cuts this year after qualifying in all 35 tournaments she entered in 2006.

The 16-year veteran was having problems with a new set of irons. After switching to another set a few weeks ago, she began to feel comfortable again.

“It was just extremely frustrating,” Saiki-Maloney said. “I am back feeling comfortable over the ball. I have the ability to have four to seven birdies in a round, or even more.”

Course conditions for the first day of play were fantastic. Bulle Rock, though, is not playing as hard and fast as it has in the prior two LPGA Championships staged there, and that is a good thing for the golfers who are trailing.

“It’s a little receptive,” Pressel said. “You can be a little bit more aggressive in going at pins.”