WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN:American Juli Inkster, at 48 the oldest player in the field, took a leaf out of Greg Norman's book when the Ricoh Women's British Open began at Sunningdale.
On a day when Annika Sorenstam kicked off her last major before retirement with only a level par 72, Inkster overcame a tee-time of 6.52am to grab an eagle and five birdies for a seven-under-par 65.
She leads by one from a large group which included England's Johanna Head, whose husband Terry is the caddie of Ian Poulter and was on the British Open runner-up's bag yesterday as he started the Bridgestone world championship with a level par 70.
Victory on Sunday would make Inkster the oldest winner of a women's major - and that, of course, only two weeks after 53-year-old Norman led at Birkdale with nine holes to play before slipping back to joint third.
She played her first major 30 years ago, and said: "I always thought I would play about five years, have a couple of kids and retire. I'm kind of unique. Golf is what I do. I enjoy being home, but I also enjoy what I do."
Highlight of her round was a drive to 18 feet on the 273-yard ninth to set up an eagle two.
Defending champion and world number one Lorena Ochoa had a chance to match the Californian's score when she stood five under with four to go, but bogeys at the 16th and 17th meant she had to settle for a three-under-par 69.
Sorenstam would happily have taken that, but it was never on from the moment she bogeyed three of the first six holes.
Martina Gillen was best of the Irish on two-over-par 74, with Clare Coughlan-Ryan on 75 and Rebecca Coakley on 79.
SENIOR US OPEN:Des Smyth shot a first-round 72 in the US Seniors Open at Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, yesterday.
Four over par after 11 holes, after starting at the 10th, Smyth fired four birdies in his last six holes to come home in 33.
In the early lead was John Cook, who lost in a play-off in last week's British Open to Bruce Vaughan, on four-under-par 66. Cook was two ahead of Morris Hatalsky and Argentina's Eduardo Romero.
US TOUR:Jeff Overton fired a seven-under-par 65 to take the early lead in the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open at the Montreux Golf and Country Club in Reno, Nevada, yesterday.
Overton, whose 65 included four-in-a-row form the second, leads by two from Harrison Frazar, with a large group, including England's Brian Davis, on 68.
ILGU INTERPROVINCIALS:Leinster, after losing all three foursomes, rallied after lunch to share the spoils with Ulster at 4½ points each in the Women's Interprovincials at East Clare.
The defending champions won the first three singles matches, with Tara Delaney beating international team-mate Danielle McVeigh by one hole. Aedin Murphy beat Louise Coffey 2 and 1 and Maura Morrin had a fine, 6 and 5 win against Gemma Hegarty.
Ulster's Charlene Reid remains unbeaten in singles and secured a 5 and 4 win against Karen Delaney.
With the sides level at 4-4 after Dawn Marie Conaty beat Nikki Moore 3 and 2, Jenny Gannon staged a brilliant recovery to come from dormie three down to square the match with Lucy Simpson on the 18th and earn Leinster a vital half point.
Connacht, after a disappointing start, beat Munster 5½-2½.
