Hetherington & Currier share lead

Taking advantage of agreeable morning conditions, Cindy Figg-Currier and Rachel Hetherington shot 6-under-par 66s today and were tied for the first-round lead at the Longs Drugs Challenge.

Figg-Currier, who was also tied for the first-round lead a year ago after shooting a 68, played in the first group off at the 6,388-yard Twelve Bridges Golf Club course.

Following a par at No. 1, Figg-Currier birdied the next three holes. She finished with seven birdies and a lone bogey on No. 17.

A hard rain Wednesday evening made for ideal conditions this morning. The course absorbed the rain with little problem and softened the greens, which are typically a source of trouble.

A tricky wind that gusted to 22 mph made the course tougher in the afternoon on a day when 21 golfers shot below par, most of them with morning tee times.

"The best part about the morning was there wasn't any rain," Figg-Currier said. "I woke up at one in the morning and I heard the rain coming down. I was worried about playing in a downpour. When I saw that blue sky I was shocked. We got a real break."

Teeing off about two hours later, Hetherington also birdied Nos. 2 through 4. The Australian-born Hetherington caught Figg-Currier with the last of six birdies at No. 16, making an eight-foot putt.

"It's been wet here in the past and I can remember hitting 3-woods into some of the par-4s," Hetherington said. "This course seems to get better every year. The fairways are terrific and so are the greens."

One shot behind the leaders was Michelle Bell, who had to take the last three years off due to a serious problem with her immune system. In the first morning group off the back nine, Bell had six birdies. Her only bogey came when she landed in the lip of a bunker on No. 16 and two-putted.

"The course played a lot longer than it did in the pro-am and practice rounds," Bell said. "The advantage was that the greens held. You could really fire at the pins."

In a group at 69 were Brandie Burton, Jill McGill, Cristie Kerr, Mhairi McKay and Carin Koch, who finished second in the 1998 Longs Drugs Challenge.

Defending champion Juli Inkster and Se Ri Pak both shot 70s.

Annika Sorenstam rallied after playing the front side one over. She recorded her first birdie at No. 10 and rolled in a 25-foot putt on the par-5 12th for an eagle. She finished with a 71.

DIVOTS: Sorenstam and her caddie had to chase a turkey off the 10th green prior to a long birdie putt. "It was a lucky turkey, I wish I hadn't scared it away," she said. ... Colleen Walker injured her hand and dropped out of the tournament after playing eight holes. ... Two Hall of Fame golfers struggled. Pat Bradley had a 76 and Patty Sheehan shot a 77.

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