WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN: On a day when the most famous teenager in golf was expected to make her mark, the most quietly effective 46-year-old in the game yesterday produced a round for the ages to take the lead in the women's British Open.
Juli Inkster's six-under-par 66 included one eagle and five birdies with the 21-year-old Spaniard Elisa Serramia two shots behind with six holes to play. More to the point, at least for anyone seeking to make the case that youthful potential is no match for hardened experience, she beat Michelle Wie on the day by eight shots.
Inkster has already won seven majors, three of them before Wie was born, but a victory on Sunday would be particularly satisfying because it would give her a career grand slam. A victory would also give Inkster the additional, albeit minor, satisfaction of putting one over on her former caddie Greg Johnston, who left the partnership after 12 years to work for Wie when she turned professional last year.
Wie bogeyed her first three holes yesterday. By contrast her playing partner Laura Davies pronounced herself happy enough with a level-par 72. It was the best score by a home player and left her tied with Annika Sorenstam.
US TOUR: Tiger Woods, playing for the first time since his successful defence of the Open championship title, began the Buick Open at Warwick Hills in Michigan yesterday with five straight birdies - but still ended his round three off the pace. The world number one turned in 31 and when he added another birdie at the par five first he led on his own. After picking up a further stroke on the long seventh, however, Woods bogeyed the 199-yard eighth and had to settle for a six under par 66.
Canadian Mike Weir was out in front by then, five successive birdies from the 13th taking the left-hander to a nine under 63.
CHALLENGE TOUR: Michael McDermott leads the Irish charge at the Ireland Ryder Cup Challenge after his opening score of seven-under-par 63 left him just one shot off the lead at the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club.
McDermott, who is attached to Stackstown Golf Club, put together a fine round over the Mahoney's Point course that only England's Sam Osborne could beat, while the Welsh pair of Craig and James Williams matched the Dubliner's first round effort.
The 26-year-old had an eagle on the par-four 15th, five birdies and 12 pars to move to seven under, one stroke better than the next best Irishman Simon Thornton. Donegal's Michael McGeady and Greenore's Robert Giles had opening scores of 66, while Athlone's Colm Moriarty and Mark O'Sullivan of Galway were one shot further back on three under. Leader Osborne's 62 meant a course record for Mahoney's Point.
