Four top first day leaderboard

Nerves had Paula Creamer rattled before she teed off in the Office Depot Championship. Then, the rookie had to hurry up and wait.

Slow play dragged out Friday's first round at the new Trump National course that hugs the Pacific Ocean and offers a view of Catalina Island.

Good thing the scenery was easy on the eyes since some players needed six hours to finish, while 25 others couldn't beat the sunset and were to complete the round early Saturday.

Wendy Ward, Nicole Perrot of Chile, Karine Icher of France and Hee-Won Han of South Korea were tied for the lead at 6-under 65, one better than Natalie Gulbis, Jennifer Rosales and Gloria Park of South Korea.

British Open champion Jeong Jang was in a four-way tie for third at 67. Creamer had a 68.

Two-time defending champion Annika Sorenstam was four back after a 2-under 69 that included four birdies on the undulating greens and bogeys on Nos. 5 and 10, both par 4s.

``It's very tricky. There's so many different bounces you can get on the fairways, on the greens, everywhere really,'' she said. ``I left a few strokes out there, but I drove it well, hit good iron shots, putted well.''

Creamer's group started 30 minutes late, then waited 20 minutes at No. 2 for a ruling.

``I started off pretty shaky. I was really nervous,'' said Creamer, who hadn't played since her runner-up finish to Sorenstam in Oklahoma two weeks ago. ``It was chaotic the first couple of holes. There was a lot of indecision with club choices.''

Creamer made the turn at even par, then recorded two birdies on the back nine before parring the 373-yard 18th as the sun sank low over the placid Pacific.

``I'm happy with the way I finished. I made a lot of pars,'' she said. ``It could have been a lot worse.''

Ward, who earned her third career victory at Las Vegas in April, lost all three of her matches at the Solheim Cup, when the United States defeated Europe 2 1/2 weeks ago.

``I'm hitting the ball so well, and I'm not being arrogant with that at all,'' she said. ``I hit the ball well at Solheim Cup and was disappointed to not get a point out of that. I couldn't get the putts and chips to come together for me, so it never ceases that it comes another week later.''

Ward opened with three consecutive birdies on the front nine in the LPGA's first visit to Donald Trump's new course in this affluent suburb south of Los Angeles.

``It was just a matter of finally putting a complete round together,'' Ward said. ``I have had good rounds in the past where it's one hole here and one hole there.''

She made a 1-footer for birdie on the par 4, 315-yard first hole, then 2-putted for birdie on No. 2, one of three par 5s on the front nine. She hit a 9-iron to within 10 feet and birdied No. 3.

Icher, whose round was a career-low, played mostly on the European tour last year.

``I'm really happy to play 6 under because it's a difficult course,'' she said.

Perrot spent last year on the Futures Tour after failing to retain her LPGA status. She has struggled this season, missing cuts and getting sick.

``I want to play this week and next week and I'm going to play in December, and that's it for the year,'' she said. ``I have been resting and taking care. I am preparing for next year.''

Gulbis, Rosales and Park each shot 66.

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