Crowd favorite takes early lead at L.A. Open

Park, cheered by large contingent of South Korean fans, shines in first round at Wilshire.

Inbee Park’s flirtation with retirement is in the rear-view mirror.

Backed by a large contingent of South Korean fans, Park shot a five-under 66 for a one-shot lead Thursday in the opening round of the HUGEL-JTBC L.A. Open in the LPGA Tour’s return to Los Angeles after a 13-year absence.

Showers ended shortly before Park’s threesome, including second-ranked Lexi Thompson, teed off at windy Wilshire Country Club.

Using a new putter, Park birdied four consecutive holes on the back nine before a bogey on the par-four 17th. She quickly recovered and rolled in birdie putts on the second and fifth holes to finish off her round.

“I never played a tournament outside Korea having this much Korean supporters out,” Park said. “I almost feel like I’m playing back home. It’s almost like a little Korea.”

The 29-year-old Hall of Famer recently said she was 50-50 about retiring before returning to the tour in early March after a six-month break. Momentum has been going her way ever since.

Marina Alex was second. Thompson was one of seven players at 68.

Alex tied Park with a birdie on No. 11. The American dropped a stroke with a bogey on the par-five 13th before rallying with a birdie on No. 14 to share the lead.

Alex found trouble on the par-four 17th, where her ball rolled into the water. She salvaged a bogey to drop a shot behind Park.

“I made a lot of the putts that I shouldn’t, I wouldn’t have expected to make,” she said. “I made two great saves on 17 and 18. Kind of got away with some not-so-solid golf shots in the beginning, and I capitalized on some great putts.”