Age no barrier for Inkster at women’s British Open

By Elspeth Burnside

LYTHAM (Reuters) – Review of the first round of the women’s
British Open at Royal Lytham on Thursday:

* At the age of 46, American Juli Inkster shot a first
round six-under-par 66 and set her sights on becoming the
oldest winner of a women’s major. American Fay Crocker was 45
when she won the 1960 Titleholders Championship.

* Victory would also see Inkster join Australia’s Karrie
Webb as the only women to complete a Super Grand Slam — all
five majors available in their careers.

* The others are the Kraft Nabisco and LPGA Championships,
the women’s U.S. Open and the du Maurier Classic, which was
last played in 2000 before being replaced by the women’s
British Open.

* Sixteen-year-old Michelle Wie dropped shots at the first
three holes but birdied the last for a two over par 74 in the
first round. Shot of her day was a five iron from 170-yards for
a tap-in three at the last.

* Wie admitted that an early start and the change from
Wednesday’s howling winds to calmer and sunny conditions posed
a problem. “It was a little weird,” she said. “My mind set was
on hitting low shots. You think you know links golf — but I
guess I don’t,” added Wie.

* Australia’s Karrie Webb blighted her 76 with a
triple-bogey eight at the long sixth. She hit into an
impossible lie in a fairway bunker and eventually had to escape
by playing out backwards.