Webb takes two shot advantage

Top-ranked Karrie Webb bounced back from an off-week in the season's last major to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the Women's British Open Thursday.

Despite three-putting the final green, the 25-year-old Australian completed a 5-under-par 68 in sunny but gusty morning weather at Royal Birkdale.

Webb finished seventh in last week's du Maurier Classic after winning the LPGA's previous two majors and seven titles overall this season. But she showed no ill-effects, leading a stellar group of five that included Americans Juli Inkster, Becky Iverson and Susan Redman, and Swedes Annika Sorenstam and Sophie Gustafson.

``Shooting 5-under is definitely a good way to get started,'' Webb said. ``I think the weather is supposed to get worse the rest of the week.''

Defending champion Sherri Steinhauer saw chances of a record third successive victory virtually vanish when she took a triple-bogey 7 at the 12th. She finished with a 77, nine behind Webb.

American Meg Mallon, who won the du Maurier Sunday, opened with a 1-over 74.

Webb, whose major victories came in the Nabisco Championship and the U.S. Open, was content with a solid round despite the three-putt finish. She even enjoyed playing in the wind.

``It was up as much as I thought it would be. It gives the course a bit more character,'' she said. ``It already has a lot of character but it keeps you on your toes.''

Webb said she feels better now that she did last week, when her chances were wrecked by a third-round 76.

``Your body doesn't feel the same each week. Some times it feels a little sluggish or your timing is off. This week I have felt very comfortable on the golf course,'' she said.

Sorenstam, No. 2 behind Webb on the LPGA money list, missed a birdie chance on the par-5 18th, managing only a par despite the wind at her back on the 486-yard closing hole. Inkster eagled the hole with a 15-foot putt, while Gustafson, Iverson and Redman all birdied.

Gustafson also birdied the 16th and eagled the par-5 17th.

Sorenstam was pleased with her 70 despite the missed chance.

``I hit 15 greens and thought I played really well,'' she said. Sorenstam praised Royal Birkdale, a regular venue for the men's British Open.

``I love it here,'' she said. ``I love the golf course and the conditions.''

Inkster, who won the U.S. Open and LPGA Championships last year and retained her LPGA title this year, three-putted the third hole to drop a shot but got it back at the eighth with a sand wedge to three inches, then capped the round with an eagle-3.

``I played very well but I left a lot of shots out there. I was very pleased with how I drove the ball but not with how I putted,'' she said.

Steinhauer was 1-over after 12 holes when she hit her second shot into a pot bunker at the 13th. Her first escape attempt failed and she had to play back down the fairway with her second.

From 20 yards short of the green, she chipped 15 feet past the hole and two-putted.

The Women's British Open has been mentioned as a possible replacement as a major for the du Maurier, which has been eliminated because of a Canadian law banning tobacco sponsorship of sports events.

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