Sorenstam & Neumann top leaderboard

It didn't take Annika Sorenstam long to get comfortable on a course she hadn't seen in nine years.

Without even taking a practice round, Sorenstam returned from two weeks off to shoot a 7-under 65 on Thursday and tie Liselotte Neumann for the first-round lead at the Corning Classic.

The two Swedes were one shot ahead of Natalie Gulbis, Lee Ann Walker-Cooper, Audra Burks and Nancy Harvey. Catriona Matthew, Michelle Estill, Hilary Lunke, and Sherri Steinhauer, who won the Sybase Classic a week ago, were another shot back at 67. Defending champion Juli Inkster finished at 1-over 73.

Although Sorenstam hadn't played Corning since finishing in a tie for seventh in 1995, her second year on Tour, she was greeted warmly at every turn by spectators eager to see the game's most heralded female player.

"I'm very happy to be back," said Sorenstam, who didn't arrive until Wednesday night. "I felt tremendous support."

Sorenstam posted a 7-under 65 during Thursday's opening round. (AP)
Sorenstam's long absence certainly didn't affect her game much as she followed caddie Terry McNamara's instructions at every turn. She hit all but one green in regulation and with a little more luck -- she missed short birdie putts on the final two holes -- would have eclipsed the tournament record of 64 for the lowest first-round score, set in 1994 by Nancy Ramsbottom and matched a year ago by Karen Stupples.

"I'm very happy with the way I finished," said Sorenstam, who played against the men a year ago at the Bank of America Colonial the same week as the Corning Classic. "Maybe I should always come the night before."

The gallery was bigger than usual for the first day, and every nook and cranny was jammed to watch Sorenstam tee off at No. 1. She hit her first drive right down the middle of the fairway to set up the first of her nine birdies on the day.

Sorenstam then struggled briefly, carding three-putt bogeys at Nos. 2 and 7 before finding her groove. A birdie at the par-4 eighth hole put her at 2 under, and she rallied with three more birdies to start the more difficult back nine. Her 26-foot birdie putt at No. 10 was the most stunning, curling left about 2 feet just as it rolled parallel to the hole and disappearing as she shrugged in disbelief.

"I felt more comfortable on the back nine," said Sorenstam, who shot 31 over the final nine holes. "I think in the end I was just playing my game and not thinking too much."

A near-perfect day with light winds and temperatures in the high 70s made conditions ideal for low scores, and the players took advantage. Neumann rolled in birdie putts from 40 feet on No. 7, 45 feet at No. 12, and a downhill one from 35 feet at the 14th hole to go to 7 under as she broke out of her putting slump.

"It's actually been the struggle in my game for a while," said Neumann, who has missed three cuts in seven tournaments. "I took last week off and was trying to just figure out what I was doing wrong. I think it sort of clicked for me that I've just been gripping the putter really tight. I just kind of loosened the grip a little bit and just let it happen today. Finally!"

Walker-Cooper had six birdies on her bogey-free round, matching her best round of the year. Although she turned pro four years ago, this is the first year she's been exempt from qualifying.

"This is a rare position," Walker-Cooper said. "Right now, I don't think there's that much pressure because I know there's going to be a lot of good scores. I'm just going to be one of the bunch."

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