NEW ROCHELLE, New York (Ticker) -- After struggling through a rough month, two bad holes were not enough to derail Kathryn Marshall.

Marshall birdied her final hole Thursday to cap a 3-under-par 68 and grab a share of the lead with Korea's Minny Yeo after the first round of the Sybase Big Apple Classic.

A 35-year-old from Scotland, Marshall had sole possession of the lead before bogeying the seventh and eighth holes -- her 16th and 17th of the day at the Wykagyl Country Club. But she lofted a sand wedge to two feet at the par-4 ninth and made the easy putt to join the unheralded Yeo atop an impressive leaderboard.

"Yes, that was huge psychologically, a huge boost for me," Marshall said. "I'll definitely sleep better tonight. I watch the scoreboard all the time and I knew I was leading at 4-under. ... So it was good to come back to be joint leader after I almost let it slip away."

Yeo entered this tournament only after countrywoman Se Ri Pak withdrew. She made the most of just her ninth round on the LPGA Tour this season with five birdies and two bogeys.

"All day, I was pretty far (from the pin), so I made a lot of good putts," said Yeo, who missed the cut in her first two appearances at this tournament. "I three-putted twice and I got (five birdies). This is my third year here, so I think I better play better this time. Actually, I like this course."

So does 1999 champion Sherri Steinhauer, who opened with a 69 and is tied for third with Kelli Kuehne, Kris Tschetter and Italy's Silvia Cavalleri.

Australia's Karrie Webb shot 1-under 70 and is part of a 10-way tie for seventh place. It's another stroke back to Sweden's Annika Sorenstam and 21 others. Sorenstam leads the LPGA Tour with six wins, $1.8 million and a 68.80 scoring average.

The par-71 Wykagyl Country Club is a 6,161-yard layout.

First prize is $142,500.

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