HALF MOON BAY, California, Oct 2, 2008 (AFP) - South Korea's women's British Open champion Ji-Yai Shin fired a five-under 67 Thursday to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Samsung World Championship.

Shin held a one-stroke lead over American Paula Creamer with two-time defending champion Lorena Ochoa among half a dozen golfers an further stroke back.

Shin, 20, gained membership on the US LPGA Tour when she sealed a surprising win at the women's British Open in August.

However, she opted to return to the Korean LPGA Tour following her major victory, notching a victory at the Shinsegae KLPGA Championship last weekend as she aims for the tour title.

Shin, a top-10 finisher in six previous LPGA events this season, reeled off four straight birdies from the 12th before her lone bogey of the day at 16.

Creamer, the runner-up in this elite event in 2005, scattered five birdies throughout her round, using her last at the 17th to make up for her only miscue on the previous hole.

Ochoa, coming off her seventh victory of the season on Sunday, a playoff triumph at the Navistar Classic, had two bogeys in her first six holes but rebounded to shoot a 69.

She was aided by an eagle at the par-five 10th and added her third birdie of the day on 17.

The world No.1 from Mexico is seeking to become the fourth player to win this event at least three times, including five-time winner Annika Sorenstam.

The Swedish star was also in the group sharing third, with a 69 that included four birdies and a bogey.

Ochoa and Sorenstam are tied with Na Yeon Choi, Yani Tseng, Song-Hee Kim and Angela Stanford.