Birdie flurry puts Lewis out front
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France » Stacy Lewis made seven consecutive birdies and tied the Evian Masters record with a 9-under 63 in the opening round on Thursday.
Her birdie flurry from holes 5-11, plus two more on 17 and 18, helped Lewis to a two-shot lead over Hee Young Park of South Korea.
"I didn’t really have anything going the first few holes. I don’t know what changed or clicked," Lewis said. "It was just one of those days where you get into this rhythm. I was more happy to finish with the two birdies than even the seven, just to get some momentum going into tomorrow."
Former Hawaii resident Michelle Wie, who tied for second place in this tournament six years ago, finished at 73.
Wie struggled with her putting.
"I felt like I played a lot better than my score," Wie said. "I hit it good, but it didn’t go in, that was a bit frustrating and affected my momentum."
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
Lewis, a two-time winner this year, matched three-time champion Helen Alfredsson’s round of 63, set by the Swede in 2008.
"I know I’ve made six (birdies) in a row before, but I don’t know if I’ve made seven … I almost made eight," Lewis said. "I definitely think this is one of the lowest rounds I’ve ever shot."
It marked Lewis’ career-low round. Her previous low was 64, which she shot in the second and fourth rounds of the LPGA Classic in June.
Park, who used a belly putter for the first time, made five straight birdies on the front nine.
South Korea’s Ilhee Lee finished three shots behind Lewis. Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe and Japan’s Mika Miyazato are four behind after 67s. Paula Creamer shot a 68.
Defending champion Ai Miyazato, who also won in 2009, had three bogeys on the back and finished with a birdie for a 71. She was joined by Juli Inkster and Cheyenne Woods, Tiger Woods’ niece, who trailed the leader by eight shots.
Top-ranked Yani Tseng had a 76, compounded by a wild shot into the rough on the 18th.
Langer shoots 64, leads Senior British Open
Bernhard Langer shot a 6-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over Mark McNulty after the first round of the Senior British Open in Turnberry, Scotland.
Langer, the German star who won the 2010 tournament at Carnoustie, had six birdies on Turnberry’s Alisa Course.
"I was very pleased with the way I played," Langer said. "Played smart. Hit some good drives, good iron shots and sank a few putts. Maybe left a couple of putts out there as well."
Tom Lehman, Michael Allen, David Frost, Jay Don Blake, Dick Mast and Chien Soon Lu shot 66.
Allen has two victories this year on the Champions Tour.
"I played beautiful on the front nine, made a few mistakes in the middle then had a great finish," said Allen, who eagled the par-5 17th and birdied the 18th. "Out here in a short-sleeved shirt in Scotland playing this wonderful course is as good as it gets."
Tom Watson opened with a 69. A five-time British Open winner and three-time Senior British Open champion, Watson made the cut last week in the British Open.
"The course is there for the taking on such a beautiful day and Bernhard did that. He’s that good of a player and he’s in good form," Watson said. "He and his caddie, Terry (Holt), really work out how the course should be played. That’s why he’s so successful."
Greg Norman, Fred Couples and Mark Calcavecchia shot 72.
Piercy is red-hot at Canadian Open
Scott Piercy shot an 8-under 62 in the first round of Canadian Open, taking advantage of perfect scoring conditions at rain-softened Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Ancaster, Ontario.
Piercy eagled the par-5 fourth and 17th holes and had five birdies and one bogey in the rainy conditions to match the competitive course record set by Warren Sye in the third round of the 1991 Ontario Amateur.
The 33-year-old American is coming off a third-place finish two weeks ago in the John Deere Classic.
"Hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens today," Piercy said. "I was rolling the ball well, and obviously you got to make some putts, too."
Greg Owen and William McGirt were a stroke back, and Robert Garrigus shot 64.
Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters winner, was at 65 along with 2004 Canadian Open champion Vijay Singh.
Oleson leads in Austria
Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen shot a 4-under 68 to take a three-stroke lead during the suspended second round of the Lyoness Open.
Olesen had a 12-under 132 total at Diamond Country Club. France’s Thomas Levet was second after a 70.
The round was suspended because of heavy rain.