ENGLEWOOD, Colorado, 25 June 2005 — Michelle Wie, the 15-year-old American amateur who has made her fame golfing against men, birdied the par-five 17th hole here yesterday to grab a share of the lead after the first round of the US Women’s Open.

Wie concluded the final three holes of her storm-interrupted round with two pars and the birdie to join France’s Karine Icher and Americans Angela Stanford and Brittany Lang, a 19-year-old amateur, on two-under par 69.

Lightning halted the $3.1 million major championship Thursday with 48 players still on the course, including Icher, who birdied the par-four 16th and parred three other holes yesterday morning to complete her run to the top.

Wie missed the cut in PGA Tour events in Hawaii the past two seasons but has qualified for next month’s US Amateur Public Links Championship, a men’s event where the winner traditionally receives an invitation to the Masters.

Wie will play next week at a PGA event where the top player not already qualified for the British Open will receive a chance to play the following week at St. Andrews, although that longshot bid is unlikely for the teen prodigy.

The “Soren-Slam” bid seemed to be on track Thursday as Sorenstam opened with a 71.

She has never owned the lead after 18 holes in 2005 but has won six of eight events, including majors at the Kraft Nabisco and LPGA Championship.

One stroke behind the four pace-setters on 69 after 18 holes were Sweden’s Liselotte Neumann, South Korea’s Young-A Yang, Chile’s Nicole Perrot and American Natalie Gulbis.

Then came a foursome on par 71 that included Sorenstam, her compatriot Sophie Gustafson and Americans Meg Mallon and Morgan Pressel, another American amateur threatening to take a major crown.

Sharing 13th on 72 were Korean Mi Hyun Kim, Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson, Jill McGill of the United States and Jennifer Rosales of the Phillipines.

Romero Rolls Back the Years With Flawless 62

In Saint-Quentin, France, Argentina’s Eduardo Romero made light of his 50 years to capture the early French Open second round lead with a flawless course record 62 yesterday.

Romero will comfortably become the European Tour’s oldest winner if he maintains the form that took him two shots ahead of the field with nine birdies after playing 27 holes in one day at the storm-affected tournament.

With his 51st birthday coming up on July 17, Romero put himself in prime position to win the tournament nearly three years older than Irishman Des Smyth was when he won the 2001 Madeira Island Open.

The Argentine won the 2002 Scottish Open when only three days away from his 48th birthday and if he can clinch the French title 14 years after he won at the same National course, Romero would enjoy several other bonuses. First prize of $714,000 is the richest in continental Europe, he would gain a two-year exemption from the end of this season and would automatically qualify for the British Open by way of a place on the major’s mini order of merit.

Romero can even finish second in France and bypass 36 holes British Open qualification at Sunningdale, England, on Monday.

Furyk Grabs PGA Lead With Finishing Flurry

In Harrison, New York, Jim Furyk birdied five of the last nine holes to fire a six-under par 65 and grab a three-stroke lead after the opening round of the PGA Barclays Classic Thursday.

Furyk, the 2003 US Open champion, went winless last season due to a wrist injury but took a major step to his 10th career US PGA crown with his strong opening round.

“Anything I did positive last year was kind of like gravy,” Furyk said.

“Coming out this year, I expected it, I knew I was healthy, I knew my wrist was not an issue anymore.”

Furyk closed his back nine with back-to-back birdies for a 30 on the inward nine.

The 35-year-old American has come close to ending his drought this season, sharing second at the Heritage in April and losing a playoff to Vijay Singh at Charlotte in May.

Also sharing second were Americans John Rollins, Brian Bateman and Kenny Perry plus Canadian Ian Leggatt and Japan’s Hidemichi Tanaka.

Spain’s Sergio Garcia, the defending champion, birdied three of his first six holes but finished with four bogeys in a row to stand on one-over 72 in quest of a $1.035 million top prize.

World No. 1 Tiger Woods, US star Phil Mickelson and South Africans Ernie Els and Retief Goosen are not entered in the $5.25 million event.