Webb opens 3 shot advantage

Like the fighter jets that roared overhead all day, Karrie Webb's scintillating first round at the Rochester International came out of the blue.

``I don't really know where that came from, I've been struggling a little bit,'' Webb said Thursday after an 8-under-par 64 gave her a three-shot lead over Meg Mallon. ``I got off to a great start and never looked back from there.''

And she never looked up at the Navy Blue Angels, who were practicing for a weekend performance at a nearby air show. They repeatedly disrupted the normally serene surroundings at Locust Hill Country Club but couldn't stop the Australian's rush to the top of the leaderboard and the best opening round in the tournament's 26-year history.

``I have enough perspective to know that I've had a pretty good six years,'' Webb said. ``I don't want to complain too much and be too hard on myself. I'm still enjoying it out here. Rounds like today definitely make things a little easier.''

In her first 12 starts last year, Webb won two major championships and had three second-place finishes and eight top-10s. Her best finish this year has been a tie for fourth at the LPGA Championship two weeks ago.

``Things have been a little up and down for me lately,'' said Webb, who has 26 wins since starting on tour in 1996. ``It felt good to get off to a good start and keep the round going.''

Kristal Parker-Manzo was tied for third at 68 with Joanne Morley, while Gloria Park and Mi Hyun Kim were at 69.

Laurie Rinker-Graham, Beth Daniel, Rachel Teske, Fiona Pike and Chris Johnson were another shot back, and defending champion Laura Davies and Juli Inkster led a group of 10 at 71.

Se Ri Pak, who won the LPGA Championship two weeks ago, was among 12 players at even-par 72.

Sixteen-year-old Naree Wongluekiet of Thailand and her twin sister, Aree Song, playing on sponsor's exemptions, were holding their own, too. Naree finished with a 3-under 69, the lowest first round by an amateur in tournament history, and Aree Song was at 71.

Recent rainy weather rendered the poorly draining course very soft, allowing players to go for the pins, and Webb took advantage of her mid-morning tee time, when the ground was most forgiving. Tournament officials also helped out, allowing the players to clean any mud off their balls between shots.

Almost all of Webb's 25 putts were under 18 feet. A two-putt bogey from 25 feet on the par-4, 413-yard 6th was the only blemish on the round and prevented Webb from equaling the tournament record of 63 set in 1992 by Patty Sheehan and matched the next year by Tammie Green.

Webb, who started at No. 10, had five birdies on the back nine. And when her 7-iron second shot at No. 1, a 386-yard par-4, landed 3 feet from the pin, she knew it was her day for a change.

``That was a key because it took me to 6-under through 10 holes,'' Webb said. ``Even though you have a good front nine, you don't know if you're going to keep things going. I just was trying not to get too far ahead of myself.''

Mallon was not surprised.

``Earlier this week I said that I think she's ready to get mad and play some golf,'' said Mallon, who got her sixth and final birdie at the par-4 18th after her 7-iron approach landed a foot from the hole. ``I mean, she pretty much blew away the field.''

Prior to Thursday, there had been only six aces since the tournament began 26 years ago. Becky Iverson and Leta Lindley boosted that total to eight.

Iverson had the seventh hole-in-one on tour this year and third of her nine-year LPGA career when her 7-iron on the 151-yard 9th disappeared into the hole. She finished with a 71.

Not to be outdone, Lindley later aced the 137-yard 15th with a 6-iron, her third hole-in-one in eight years on tour. But she faltered to a 73.

The temperature soared into the mid-80s, and the heat took its toll. Marnie McGuire of New Zealand withdrew from the tournament after 15 holes when her caddie, Denise Lindman, was taken to the hospital for observation for suspected heatstroke.

Annika Sorenstam, who last week won the Evian Masters in France for her fifth win of the year, skipped Rochester, as did Laura Diaz, Grace Park and Carin Koch, who also are in the top 10 in earnings in 2002.

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