(Sports Network) - World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa fired a six-under 66 on Thursday to take a one-shot lead over world No. 2 Annika Sorenstam after the first round of the Canadian Open. Even though it's just Thursday, this could be the battle golf fans have wanted to see, a duel between Ochoa and Sorenstam, the two most dominant players of this generation.

It would need to happen soon.

Sorenstam announced that she would be walking away from competitive golf at the end of the season. The two have not had a classic battle in a tournament, so maybe Thursday's first round is the start of a special week.

"I don't think it's good to worry since we're just starting the tournament and other players are out of your control," said Ochoa, the defending champion. "I always try to concentrate just on my game, and that's it."

Ochoa birdied the 18th to move one in front of Sorenstam.

"I think for sure making that birdie makes dinner taste better," joked Ochoa. "Now I can go and rest. Like I said, this is only the first day, but it's always good to be ahead."

Ochoa and Sorenstam are not the only big-name players near the top of the leaderboard.

Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak, Hee-Won Han, Meena Lee and Nicole Castrale, who bogeyed the last to fall out of a share of second, are knotted in third place at four-under 68.

Those players will take a back seat after the first day.

Ochoa broke into red figures first with a six-foot birdie putt at the third. She hit a six-iron from 170 yards to 10 feet to set up a birdie at the fifth, then posted her final front-nine birdie with a 15-footer at No. 7.

Ochoa parred her first three on the back side at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club. She hit an eight-iron to 12 feet for a birdie at the 13th and two holes later, sank a seven-footer for birdie to match Sorenstam, who played in the morning, in first at minus-five.

At the par-five 18th, Ochoa came up short of the putting surface with a three- wood from 220 yards. She chipped her third to three feet and converted the birdie putt to get sole possession of the lead.

Aside from the possible, high-profile battle with Sorenstam looming, Ochoa has to answer some other questions on the course. She has six wins, including a major in 2008, but has not visited the winner's circle since May.

"I think my game has always been there. I think it's more emotionally," acknowledged Ochoa, who has dealt with a pair of family deaths this summer. "Sometimes you have up-and-downs and sometimes distractions and sometimes you're tired, and I'm feeling okay right now."

Sorenstam has not hoisted a trophy since the Michelob Ultra Open, one tournament before Ochoa's last victory.

On Thursday, Sorenstam enjoyed a much more up-and-down round than Ochoa.

Sorenstam three-putted from 25 feet for a bogey at the second, but got back to even-par with a 10-foot birdie putt at the fifth. She bogeyed the par-three eighth, but once again reclaimed the lost shot with a birdie at the ninth.

Sorenstam started her second nine brilliantly with three birdies in her first four holes, all from inside 12 feet. The Swede fell back to two-under thanks to an errant tee shot at the par-three 15th, but Sorenstam closed in style.

She birdied her final three holes, all from longer than seven feet.

Now Sorenstam just has to maintain her competitive edge if she's to get another win before it all ends at the end of the year.

"Once I'm inside the ropes, I'm there to win, I'm there to play the best I can," said Sorenstam. "I have a tendency when I reflect too much, I forget that you have to hit the shot, and this is what matters. It doesn't matter if you won 72 tournaments earlier. This is the tournament, this is the shot."

Suzann Pettersen, the third-ranked player in the world, Catriona Matthew, Song-Hee Kim, In-Kyung Kim and Eunjung Yi are tied for seventh place at three- under 69.

Paula Creamer shot a one-under 71 and is part of a group tied for 19th.

Michelle Wie struggled to a three-over 75 on Thursday.

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