Aussie coach helps Inkster to Open lead
BY iseekgolf.com | Ladies European Tour | 2008 Ricoh Women's British Open | Round One | 01 Aug 2008
Seven-time major championship winner, Juli Inkster carded a flawless round of 7-under par 65 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the 2008 Ricoh Women’s British Open. In perfect conditions, seven players fired rounds of 6-under par 66 to sit just behind the American.
With holes 1 and 2 being par-5’s, the Sunningdale course sets up for players to make a fast start with two par-5’s. Inkster did just that with birdies on the 1st and 5th holes before an eagle on the short par-4 9th with a putt from 18-feet. Further birdies on the 10th, 12th and 14th holes saw her finish with a one-shot lead.
After her round, the 48-year-old who is aiming to become the oldest player to win a major credited Australia’s Ian Triggs with getting her “on the right path.” Karrie Webb is one of Triggs’ students and after flying from France on the same plane as Webb, Inkster asked, “any chance he (Triggs) could watch me hit a few.”
It has obviously worked with Inkster now in a good position to join Webb as the only player to win the LPGA Super Career Grand Slam which includes the du Maurier Classic.
Of the seven players who carded rounds of 6-under, the round of Japanese star Momoko Ueda was probably the most remarkable. She became only the 15th player in Tour history to card back-to-back eagles when she made a 2 at the 273-yard par-4 9th hole and a 3 at the par-5 10th. She is joined in a tie for second by fellow Japanese Yuri Fudoh, Koreans Ji-Yai Shin and Ji Young Oh, American’s Laura Diaz and Stacy Prammanasudh and England’s Johanna Head.
World No.1 Lorena Ochoa was bogey free through 15 holes including 5 birdies, however, she stumbled with bogeys at the 16th and 17th to finish with a round of 3-under par 69.
Afterwards, she said, “I have no complaints. I think the first day; try to put my name up there. I’m not worried”.
In contrast, Annika Sorenstam, who could be playing her last ever major championship, fired an even par round of 72 commenting, “It’s just so disappointing that I just can’t seem to pull it together. I just cannot play 18 holes it seems like.”
The best score amongst the 8-strong Australian contingent was Katherine Hull who continued her recent good form to fire an impressive 3-under par 69 to sit in a tie for 22nd. She fired six birdies in her round with only one of those coming on the four par-5’s which is where most players made their score in a low-scoring first round.
Just one shot behind Hull, is Joanne Mills and Rachel Hetherington. Mills played her usual steady golf, carding three birdies and just the solitary bogey on the par-3 15th. Hetherington has good memories of this course after finishing runner-up to Karen Stupples when the tournament was last played here in 2004. Her 2-under par round included 4 birdies.
Karrie Webb, winner here in 1997, fired an even par round of 72 to sit in a tie for 66th alongside two-time LET winner Nikki Garrett. Lindsey Wright has plenty of work to do in the second round to make the cut after shooting a disappointing round of 2-over par 74 to sit in a tie for 91st. A double bogey, bogey finish saw her slip from 1-under and could prove costly.
Other scores of note were last week’s winner at Evian Helen Alfredsson who shot a 3-under par 69, Laura Davies was up-and-down finishing at 2-under par 70 to be tied with World No.3 Suzann Pettersen and McDonald’s LPGA winner Yani Tseng.
Amy Yang finished with a 1-under par round of 71 while the ‘Pink Panther’ Paula Creamer finished on even par. US Women’s Open champion Inbee Park had a disappointing start, mixing back-to-back double bogeys with an eagle to finish at 2-over par 74.
The second round continues today from 3.30pm AEST.
Source – ALPG
