Europeans set first round pace

The first round of the Hawaiian Ladies Open had a distinct European feel as Sophie Gustafson of Sweden and Joanne Morley of Britain shot 7-under-par 65s today.

They tied the tournament record for low round that was shared by 1998 champ Wendy Ward and two others. It was the best score ever for both golfers.

Morley started with an eagle on the first hole when she holed a sand wedge from 57 yards. She made a 15-foot putt for a birdie on No. 4, two-putted from eight feet for a birdie on No. 7 and made five pars before a bogey at No. 12.

On 17 she holed out with a wedge after coming up about 15 feet short of the green.

"I really was just thinking about getting the ball up and down for birdie," Morley said. "It's just good luck when it goes in."

Gustafson had an eagle and six birdies against one bogey. She made a 36-foot putt for eagle on No. 17 and also birdied No. 8 with a 24-foot putt.

"The putts make all the difference, don't they?" Gustafson said.

She also missed three birdie putts, including an 8-footer on her last hole.

"I guess I could have gone lower, but I am really happy with a 65," she said.

Trailing by one stroke was Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, who won this event in 1997, and Mi Hyun Kim of South Korea, who bogeyed her last hole to drop out of a share of the lead.

"I'm satisfied with my score but I had many chances to make birdies and just couldn't," Kim said.

Seven golfers, including Betsy King, were at 67. Two former Hawaiian Ladies Open winners, Barb Thomas-Whitehead (1995) and Sherri Turner (1989), were in a group at 68.

Starting on the back nine, Gustafson birdied the first two holes, bogeyed No. 13 and birdied No. 15 before an eagle on the par-5 17th to put her at 4-under.

She moved 5-under with a birdie on No. 1, then made five straight pars before birdies at Nos. 7 and 8.

Gustafson, whose best finish as a pro was second in the 1998 Women's British Open, said her great round has her on the road to her first victory.

"It gives me confidence because I know my game is here this week," she said, especially since she has had problems transferring her success in Europe to the LPGA Tour.

"It would be fun to start playing as well here as I have in Europe. That would give me a lot of confidence."

Sorenstam, who had a hole-in-one during the pro-am on Wednesday, had six birdies Thursday and was confident her strong play would continue.

"When things go your way, you get fired up," Sorenstam said. "You can hit a bad shot and know things are going to be OK. A little luck and little confidence is a good recipe right now."

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