PALM SPRINGS, California, 26 March 2004 — Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, who is seeking her second career win on the US LPGA Tour, got off to a sizzling start at the $1.6 million Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Under partly cloudy skies, the 34-year-old Matthew birdied the first three holes in yesterday’s opening round to put herself atop the leaderboard with rookie Aree Song, of South Korea.
Matthew started with a birdie on the par-four, first hole of the par-72, 6,520 yard Mission Hill Country Club course. She also birdied the par-five No. 2 and par-four No. 3.
Song also got off to a quick start, birdieing the first, sixth and eighth holes to move to three-under after nine.
The 17-year Song, who was born in Thailand but is now a South Korean citizen, turned pro in August.
World No. 1 Annika Sorenstam started her tournament at a steady pace by birdieing the first hole then firing five-straight pars.
The 33-year-old Swede hopes to win here to kick off her quest for four majors in the same year.
Sorenstam, who is coming off a victory last week in Phoenix, was in good spirits before her opening round.
“I am feeling pretty good about my golf game,” she said. “It’s an exciting week. I always like coming here and I’m going to like it again this year.”
Sorenstam also enjoys the challenge of playing the first major of the season on the Mission Hills course.
“This is a tough course,” Sorenstam said. American Nancy Scranton, who captured the du Maurier Classic in 1991, got off to a disappointing start with four bogeys and a double bogey in the first nine holes.
France’s Patricia Meunier-Lebouc, who won here last year, traveled to the California desert but is not playing after giving birth to a baby girl four weeks ago.
Meunier-Lebouc only started swinging the clubs again on Tuesday but says she looks forward to playing next year. She plans to return to the Tour in about four weeks.
“There is more tension standing on the tee here than other courses where you don’t have the rough or anything,” said Meunier-Lebouc.
Persson Atlevi Shines in Madeira Island Gloom
In Machico, Madeira, Persson Atlevi turned back the clock in the weather-affected first round of the Madeira Island Open yesterday.
The Swede, who joined the tour 22 years ago, carded a five-under-par 67 before a two hour, 20 minute suspension for low-lying cloud and heavy rain.
Sam Walker was also on five under with three holes to play with fellow Englishman David Dixon in the clubhouse with a 68.
Persson Atlevi, who used to be called Persson before seeking a more distinctive name, was one of the first Swedish players to join the tour, along with Ove Sellberg and the newly announced Ryder Cup vice-captain Anders Forsbrand.
Though the 38-year-old has never won a full tour title and is now playing the Challenge Tour, he once took Severiano Ballesteros to a playoff and has two second tour places to his credit.
A $122,000 victory would earn him his full tour card, in an echo of fellow countryman Mats Lanner’s victory in this event in 1998 when he revived his career.
“That’s the plan,” he said after escaping the heavy rain and low-lying cloud that caused a suspension of play early in the afternoon, having collected an eagle and four birdies with just one dropped shot.
“I put my long tour career down to taking four months off every winter and coaching for the next season indoors at my home club Barseback.”
Of Forsbrand’s appointment as Bernhard Langer’s Ryder Cup vice-captain, he added: “Anders is a very experienced player who’s been very close to playing himself several times. “Bernhard and he are good friends, they have similar interests, including the Christian Group, and their wives are both American, so they have a lot in common, and it should work well for Europe.
South Africa’s Horne Leads Indian Open
In New Delhi, South Africa’s Keith Horne fired a superb nine-under-par 63 to take a three-shot lead after the first round of the $300,000 Indian Open yesterday.
Horne, 31, enjoyed a blemish-free round and knocked in nine birdies at the Delhi Golf Club to lead Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, who returned a 66.
Like the leader, the unorthodox swinging Thai was bogey-free.
Indian duo Mukesh Kumar and Shamim Khan led the local charge as they ended in a tie for third place alongside American Clay Devers following rounds of 67 in the Asian Tour event.
A further stroke back were Taiwan’s Yeh Chang-ting, Mardan Mamat of Singapore, Mo Joong-kyung of Korea and Americans Gary Rusnak and newcomer Bryan Saltus.
