Kerr leads at Wegmans.(Sports)

Byline: Associated Press

PITTSFORD - Cristie Kerr, comforted by a new putter as she battled a head cold, opened with a 6-under 66 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead in the storm-delayed Wegmans LPGA.

"I'll buy every single putter I ever play with if I can putt like that," Kerr, a nine-time tour winner, said of her 26-putt round at the tree-lined Locust Hill course. "I feel like my game is coming around."

Canada's Alena Sharp, showing steady progress in her third year on tour, ran off seven birdies and two bogeys to shoot 67.

She was one better than Norway's Suzann Pettersen, who is still glowing after capturing her first major title at the LPGA Championship two weeks ago.

"I don't think I'm going to realize it (happened) until the end of the year when it's time to relax and sit back," Pettersen said. "Just want to build on the momentum, try to get the game better and better each day. That'll keep you busy."

Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, who won here in 2005, was tied for fourth at 3-under with Brittany Lincicome and South Korea's Mi Hyun Kim. Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel led a group of 15 at 2-under.

Defending champion Jeong Jang carded a 71, while 50-year-old Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez, who is playing a limited schedule this year, shot an 82.

A mid-afternoon thunderstorm stopped play for a little more than two hours. Sandwiched between two majors - the U.S. Women's Open is next week at Pine Needles in Southern Pines, N.C. - the $1.8 million tournament drew 46 of the top 50 money winners.

Absent were Annika Sorenstam, whose best finish in four tries was second in 1996, and Stacy Prammanasudh, who pulled out Thursday with a thumb injury.

Starting on the back nine, Kerr opened with three birdies, sinking a 25-foot putt on No. 11. She slotted in another 25-footer on No. 17, bogeyed the next hole after driving into trees, then rolled in three more birdies after the turn.

PGA: Hunter Mahan, who finished second in the Travelers Championship last year, shot an 8-under 62 to take the first-round lead before play was suspended with 39 golfers still on the course in Cromwell, Conn.

The round was one stroke off the course record and it was Mahan's sixth consecutive round in the 60s at the TPC at River Highlands. He overtook early leader Chris DiMarco, who shot a 64 for his best round of the season despite an ailing shoulder.

-4

European Tour: Jose-Filipe Lima and Raphael Jacquelin shot 7-under 65s for a one-stroke lead after the rainy first round of the BMW International Open in Munich, Germany.

Lima missed six birdie putts of less than 20 feet on his final nine holes at the Munchen-Nord course.

CAPTION(S):

PHOTO

DON HEUPEL/ASSOCIATED PRESS PAULA CREAMER reacts after missing a birdie try in the first round of the Wegmans LPGA in Pittsford. Creamer is tied for eighth after a 2-under-par 70.

Kerr leads at Wegmans.(Sports)

Byline: Associated Press

PITTSFORD - Cristie Kerr, comforted by a new putter as she battled a head cold, opened with a 6-under 66 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead in the storm-delayed Wegmans LPGA.

"I'll buy every single putter I ever play with if I can putt like that," Kerr, a nine-time tour winner, said of her 26-putt round at the tree-lined Locust Hill course. "I feel like my game is coming around."

Canada's Alena Sharp, showing steady progress in her third year on tour, ran off seven birdies and two bogeys to shoot 67.

She was one better than Norway's Suzann Pettersen, who is still glowing after capturing her first major title at the LPGA Championship two weeks ago.

"I don't think I'm going to realize it (happened) until the end of the year when it's time to relax and sit back," Pettersen said. "Just want to build on the momentum, try to get the game better and better each day. That'll keep you busy."

Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, who won here in 2005, was tied for fourth at 3-under with Brittany Lincicome and South Korea's Mi Hyun Kim. Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel led a group of 15 at 2-under.

Defending champion Jeong Jang carded a 71, while 50-year-old Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez, who is playing a limited schedule this year, shot an 82.

A mid-afternoon thunderstorm stopped play for a little more than two hours. Sandwiched between two majors - the U.S. Women's Open is next week at Pine Needles in Southern Pines, N.C. - the $1.8 million tournament drew 46 of the top 50 money winners.

Absent were Annika Sorenstam, whose best finish in four tries was second in 1996, and Stacy Prammanasudh, who pulled out Thursday with a thumb injury.

Starting on the back nine, Kerr opened with three birdies, sinking a 25-foot putt on No. 11. She slotted in another 25-footer on No. 17, bogeyed the next hole after driving into trees, then rolled in three more birdies after the turn.

PGA: Hunter Mahan, who finished second in the Travelers Championship last year, shot an 8-under 62 to take the first-round lead before play was suspended with 39 golfers still on the course in Cromwell, Conn.

The round was one stroke off the course record and it was Mahan's sixth consecutive round in the 60s at the TPC at River Highlands. He overtook early leader Chris DiMarco, who shot a 64 for his best round of the season despite an ailing shoulder.

-4

European Tour: Jose-Filipe Lima and Raphael Jacquelin shot 7-under 65s for a one-stroke lead after the rainy first round of the BMW International Open in Munich, Germany.

Lima missed six birdie putts of less than 20 feet on his final nine holes at the Munchen-Nord course.

CAPTION(S):

PHOTO

DON HEUPEL/ASSOCIATED PRESS PAULA CREAMER reacts after missing a birdie try in the first round of the Wegmans LPGA in Pittsford. Creamer is tied for eighth after a 2-under-par 70.