Davies outshines Wie
Laura Davies outwitted 16-year-old playing partner Michelle Wie and was the leading British player on level par after the first round of the Weetabix Women’s British Open.
But it was American veteran Juli Inkster who set the championship alight with a superb 66 at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
The 46-year-old led by three from Swede Maria Hjorth and Italy’s Silvia Cavalleri.
World number one Annika Sorenstam finished double bogey-bogey for a level-par 72, while defending champion Jeong Jang of South Korea slumped to a 78.
Inkster, aiming to become the oldest winner of a major, has won all the other majors and has seven in all.
“But I haven’t played particularly well in the British in the past,” she said. “I always seem to lose it when I make that flight over the pond.
“If someone had given me a 66 before I went out I would have sat in the bar and watched on TV.
“Today I played great. Hit a lot of fairways and greens and the key was that I played the par fives really well.”
In fact, she birdied three of the long holes and made an eagle at the fourth - hitting a five-iron second shot to 18 feet at the 492-yard sixth.”
Inkster, a mother of two daughters, has won 31 titles in her 23 years on the LPGA Tour, including this year’s Safeway International in Phoenix in March.
“I’ve been very lucky to have been able to juggle a career and motherhood,” she admitted. “I’m fortunate because I’ve got two great kids.”
Wie, one of the hot favourites, opened with three bogeys but birdied the last for a 74 on a day when the early week’s howling winds had given way to almost perfect calm and sunny conditions.
Davies and Wie had both risen at 4.30am for the 7.36am tee time and the youngster made a sleepy start, hitting through the green at the short first and then mishitting tee shots for more bogeys at the second and third.
But she saved her best for last, powering a five-iron second shot 170 yards at the 18th to within a couple of inches of the hole.
“You think you know links golf, but I guess you don’t,” said the player who finished tied third on her debut at Birkdale last year.
“I was up at 4.30am and spent a little time in the gym but I still just felt half alive. I couldn’t get any momentum going.
“It was also a little weird because my mind set was on hitting low shots in strong winds. But I really should have adapted a little quicker.”
Davies, who highlighted her round with birdies at the seventh, 11th and 15th, was satisfied with her opening effort.
“I was two over after five holes but then settled,” said the 42-year-old, who won the title 20 years ago. “It wasn’t a great round, but it was decent and steady and I feel pretty pleased.
“Michelle hit some great shots and you’re more surprised that she’s two over than two under. But this is a very hard golf course and she got a little unlucky with some tee shots.”
