EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France, 25 July 2003 — American veteran Juli Inkster and Mexican rookie Lorena Ochoa shared the lead on six under par 66, but world number one Annika Sorenstam struggled to match par in the first round of the $2.1-million Evian Masters here on Wednesday.
Sweden’s Sorenstam, the defending champion who has claimed global fame following her appearance alongside the men on the PGA Tour in America in May, was playing in her first event since she pulled out of the Canadian Open due to exhaustion two weeks ago. In the hot and steamy heat, she managed three birdies, but also dropped a shot and ran up a damaging double-bogey seven at the 15th where she hit her tee shot out of bounds in a even par 72.
At the same par five 15th, Inkster also hit her tee shot out of bounds and matched Sorenstam’s seven. She had five birdies and the piece de resistance was an eagle at the 487-yeard 18th where she hit a five iron second shot fully 190 yards and was thrilled to see it settle three feet from the pin.
Ochoa, with a string of top ten finishes and eighth on the LPGA money list with $558,119 made her score with a brilliant outward half of seven under 29 that included an eagle from 20 feet at the par five seventh. She then dropped a couple of shots at the 12th and 13th, but made another birdie from 12 feet at the 16th.
American Rosie Jones was just one off the lead, while South Korea’s Jeong Jang and Britain’s Janice Moodie shared fourth spot on 68. Britain’s Laura Davies had a chance of mixing it with the leaders until she hit into a flower bed and ran up a double-bogey seven at the 18th. She was furious to be denied a free drop, and then took two shots to get out of the red bizzie lizzies.
