Ochoa Sets Pace As Putts Go Down the Mexican Way

An historic day deserved a signature moment and Lorena Ochoa, the best female golfer in the world, obliged yesterday when she stepped off the final green after the first round of the Women's British Open having reduced the Old Course to 67 shots.

Six birdies and 12 pars - and no bunkers visited - is a terrific effort in any circumstances but to do it during your first competitive round at the Home of Golf is not only better than good, it was good enough to tempt the player from Mexico out of the shell of reticence where she spends much of her life.

"It was my round of the year," she said. "Did I expect to score like I did? I had it in my head, sure, but it turned out to be better than I thought it could be. I started off in good conditions and my rhythm was good, so I tried to make something really special."

All of that amounted to a major admission from a player whose modesty is matched by her ability to shape her shots and by her status as a sporting hero back home. Mexico is a hotbed of many things but not the Royal & Ancient game, yet Ochoa has cut through the indifference to become one of that country's most recognizable sporting figures.

A victory on Sunday would not only end her inexplicable failure to win a major championship; it would elevate her from national hero to national deity. Her performance yesterday, coupled with the struggles of some of her main rivals, will have done little to quell expectations south of the Border. The world No2, Karrie Webb, shot a 77 and the 19-year-old American Morgan Pressel left the scorer's hut in tears after signing for an 80.

With the Road Hole inexplicably, and belittlingly, designated as a par-five for the tournament, Ochoa's 67 went down in the ledger as a six-under-par round. That gave her a two-shot lead over Louise Friberg of Sweden and Korea's Park In-bee, who was four under as she headed into the Old Course's tricky closing holes, and a three-shot advantage over Ai Miyazato of Japan.

Michelle Wie returned a respectable level-par 73, although she deserved better for a round that contained enough good shots to suggest she is slowly recovering the form that made her the game's most exciting prospect, and Annika Sorenstam birdied the last two holes to sneak into the clubhouse with a one-under 72. "I played really well in very difficult conditions. The golf course is very tough. I am very very thrilled," said the former world No1.

Yet if the Swede was delighted, her mood was but nothing when measured against that of Rebecca Hudson, whose three-under 70 left her in a tie for fourth place. The 28-year-old Englishwoman has yet to fulfill the promise of her amateur career since turning pro in 2003. Back then she was widely recognized as the best British amateur of her generation but it is one thing playing for the honor and glory, and quite another to handle the pressure of playing for hard cash. It did not help, either, that despite her amateur record she could not find any sponsors - a damning indictment of way women's golf is viewed in Britain.

Indeed, Hudson found herself so short of hard cash for the first couple of years as a pro that she spent her winters working in a restaurant in her home town of Doncaster. "I worked silly hours - 75, 80 hours - just to earn enough to get back on tour," she said after her round. "There were so many things I missed about the amateur game. I missed team golf and it took me a while to get used to life on tour, how to do my tax returns and lots of different things."

A round of 62 at the European Open in Hungary two years ago finally convinced her that she might actually be able to compete at the highest level. Since then she has won on the women's European Tour and currently stands ninth on the money list, just outside one of the automatic places on the European Solheim Cup team to play the United States Slater this year. "I would do anything to get on that team," she said.

Three more rounds like yesterday's and she will make it with ease. In fact, three more 70s and a victory come Sunday afternoon, and she might even find a sponsor.

Clubhouse leaders

-6 Lorena Ochoa Mex

-4 Louise Friberg Swe

-3 Rebecca Hudson Eng

Ai Miyazato Jpn

-2 Brittany Lincicome US

Joanne Mills Aus

Meena Lee Kor

-1 Tullia Calzavara Ita

Karine Icher Fra

In Kyung Kim Kor

Virginine Lagoutte Fra

Sarah Lee Kor

Jee Young Lee Kor

Na On Min Jpn

Catrin Nilsmark Swe

Annika Sorenstam Swe