Golden leads after opening 64

Kate Golden used an old-fashioned way to get out of a slump and play like Annika Sorenstam.

She went to the practice range on Wednesday, lay a couple of clubs on the ground to help her alignment, got a couple of friends to eyeball her swing and -- Puff! She found her game.

Golden parlayed her midweek swing change into a 7-under-par 64 and had a one-stroke lead Friday after the first round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic, the final tuneup for next week's U.S. Women's Open.

Hall of Famer Juli Inkster and Lorie Kane were tied for second, while Sorenstam put herself in position for a four win in six starts and sixth win in 12 events this year by shooting a 3-under-par 68 the Bay Course of the Marriott Seaview Resort.

``I know she is going to be there come Sunday,'' Inkster said of Sorenstam. ``I just have to go out and play my game. She is liable to roll in six in a row. I just have to play my game. If I keep making birdies, I have a good chance.''

Coming into this week's 54-hole event not far from Atlantic City's casinos, it would have been hard to find anyone to bet on Golden.

While she shot a final-round 63 last year to beat Sorenstam and post her first career win since joining the tour in 1992, Golden had done little this year. Her best finish has been a tie for 24th place two weeks ago in the McDonald's LPGA Championship.

Just last week, she missed her fourth cut in 12 events.

So Golden worked on her game with Amy Read, a fellow tour player not competing this week, her caddie, Randy Wilkins, and Paul Boehmer, an LPGA club repair specialist.

All the sudden, Golden stopped coming over the top with her swing.

``We were just figuring things out, and trying to make things better,'' she said. ``I really hit it straight today.''

Golden's round of eight birdies and a bogey was her best of a poor season in which she has missed four cuts.

Golden, who left the tour in frustration in 1994-95, rolled in three birdie putts of 20 feet on her first seven holes to get going. Her others birdies were all less than 8 feet. Her only bogey was a three-putt from 20 feet.

Golden isn't putting any extra pressure on herself with the lead.

``It's goofy, but it's just golf,'' she said. ``I've slammed clubs in the ground when I've hit bad shots. When it comes down to it, it's just golf. I think about the people in New York and all the other stuff going on in the world, and it doesn't matter if I make a bogey anymore.''

And if her swings continues to hold up, there won't many bogeys to worry about.

Inkster, who has a win and six top-10 finishes this year, threatened to take the lead, playing the front nine in 6-under par 30. But she parred the final nine holes, making good saving putts at Nos. 16 and 17.

Sorenstam challenged early with birdies on three of her first six holes. However, the tour's leading money winner bogeyed the par-4 10th, but got the stroke back with a short birdie at No. 17.

Kane, who has struggled finding her swing after a fitness program that included some weight work, had six birdies; three from 15 feet, two kick-ins and 10-footer.

``My legs have been moving faster than my arms and it messed up my timing,'' Kane said. ``That is what my game is built on, timing.''

Tracy Hanson, who missed her fourth cut of the season last week, was in fourth place after a bogey free 66 on a course made easier by overnight rain and no wind. Michelle Redman, Johanna Head, Jenny Lidback, Stephanie Keever and Julie Piers were at 68.

Joining Sorenstam at 68 was defending champion and three-time winner Betsy King.

Among the other notables, Rosie Jones had a 69 and Dottie Pepper finished with a 75 in her return to the tour following shoulder surgery in March.

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