Canadian AJ Eathorne sank a 45-foot putt at the first hole and never looked back on her way to a share of the clubhouse lead in the first round of the US Women's Open yesterday.
"I don't think I was quite awake. Something like that going right in the middle of the hole really wakes you up," said Eathorne, who shared the early lead with American Cindy Figg-Currier at three-under-par 67.
The pair are one stroke ahead of Americans Juli Inkster and Jill McGill, and South Korean Mi Hyun-kim.
Championship favourite Annika Sorenstam and last year's champion, Karrie Webb, both started neatly with rounds of 70.
However, the same can't be said of 1987 champion Laura Davies, who dropped six shots on the final four holes for a 75.
Thirteen-year-old Morgan Pressel, the youngest ever qualifier, did not embarrass herself with a respectable 77.
Eathorne, 24, is in her third year on the LPGA, and although she hasn't won, she posted seven top-10 results last year to finish a healthy 35th on the money list. "My round was a good struggle," admitted the British Columbia resident. "I scrambled around but when those putts fall in, you feel good."
