NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — Perhaps showing confidence from a good showing for the United States at the Solheim Cup last week, Michelle Wie "called" her birdie on the final hole in yesterday's first round of the Safeway Classic.

Wie made a chip of some 30 feet. She raised her arms and hopped when it dropped.

"It was pretty cool," she said. "And I called it, too. I told my caddie, 'I might chip this in.' "

Wie shot a 4-under 68 and was tied for 11th, four strokes behind leader Beth Bader at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.

"It was fun out there today," said Wie, who went 3-0-1 at the Solheim Cup. "I thought after last week it was going to be anticlimactic, but there were a lot of fans out there and they were really riled up to see us play."

Bader finished a stroke in front of Anna Nordqvist and Seon Hwa Lee, who each had 65s. The 54-hole tournament continues today.

"It's nice to get off to a good start," Bader said. "I've had a tendency of not getting off to a very good start and I haven't been able to come back from that."

Defending champion Cristie Kerr had a 69, playing in a star-studded group with Wie and Lorena Ochoa.

Kerr misplayed a chip shot from the rough on the 18th green to bogey her last hole of the day.

Just before Kerr's chip, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds roared overhead. The aerial squadron was performing at the Oregon Air Show in Hillsboro, Ore., nearby.

"It was an interesting day," Kerr said. "I hit it pretty bad, pretty poorly."

Ochoa finished with a 70.

Wie and Kerr were on the U.S. Solheim Cup team last week. Ten of the team's 12 players were at the Safeway Classic. Paula Creamer withdrew before yesterday's first round because of illness.

She said it was a lingering bug she likely caught while playing in the team competition.

Fellow teammate Juli Inkster withdrew earlier in the week.

The large galleries from early in the day shrank quickly after Wie's group finished their round. A light rain fell for about an hour, although play was never suspended.

Honolulu's Ayaka Kaneko, an amateur playing on a sponsor's exemption, shot a 73 and was tied for 66th. Kaneko is a Sacred Hearts Academy alum who attends Pepperdine.