Honolulu's Michelle Wie, playing her best golf of the year, briefly held the lead before finishing with a 5-under-par 67 that left her four back in a tie for 10th yesterday at the LPGA's State Farm Classic in Springfield, Ill.

Wie offset two bogeys with five birdies and an eagle on the par-4 15th that vaulted her to the top of the leaderboard.

"I felt pretty good out there," said Wie, who is playing on a sponsor's exemption. "Unfortunately, the last three holes I had very makeable birdie putts, which I missed."

Wie's birdies included a chip-in on the first hole and a 20-footer on No. 11 that followed her second bogey of the day.

She also birdied No. 13, then seized the lead on the par-4, 15th when her 100-yard approach to the 389-yard hole spun back into the cup.

"It's a pretty cool shot," Wie, 18, said. "I just told (my caddie), 'Let's just get a tap-in birdie here, you know, get really close.' I was flagging down the flag and I was like, OK, this is going to be good."

Still, she missed a handful of putts by inches, and the 18th hole summed up what might have been. After her near-perfect second shot dropped and died just a few feet beyond the cup, her putt rolled around the lip and refused to drop. Birdie became par and she fell back from the top of the pack.

"I think it's a definite, telling sign that I can shoot a lot better," Wie said. "Today could have easily been eight, nine, 10 under.

"But today is over and done with and I'm going to start focusing on tomorrow. You know, try to shoot a lower score. There's a lot of holes out there that I left, you know, without a birdie, so going to try to get those holes tomorrow."

Christina Kim will take a one-stroke lead into today's second round after opening with a 63.

"Some places are just magic," said Kim, who nearly won here last year. "For me, this place has been absolutely magical."

Last year Kim birdied 18 to momentarily tie Sherri Steinhauer at 16 under, but Steinhauer matched Kim's birdie to win.

Kim made her own magic yesterday with seven birdies, an eagle and no bogeys.

The field was stacked with low scores. South Korean Sun Young Yoo finished with a 64 after shooting an 8-under 28 over the first nine holes.

Yoo had six birdies and added an eagle on the par-5 16th hole. The 28 ties her with seven other players for the best nine-hole score in LPGA history.

But Yoo's back nine included a pair of bogeys and, she said, fatigue and a loss of concentration hurt her down the stretch.

"I think I lost a little focus on putting," said Yoo, who played during the hottest part of the day. "I think I was a little bit tired."

Kristy McPherson and Jee Young Lee shot 65s to tie for third.