Mahan joins leaders
It has reached the point where everyone expects to see his name atop the leaderboard, and he got there Thursday at the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, with five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on a course that felt like a major.
Indeed, Hunter Mahan is on a roll.
Coming off four consecutive top 10s that included his first PGA Tour victory, Mahan overcame a sloppy double bogey with a torrid stretch of birdies for a 3-under-par 67, giving him a share of the lead with Paul Casey and Rory Sabbatini at the Bridgestone Invitational.
That other name that has become a fixture at Firestone – Tiger Woods – didn’t fare too badly, either.
Woods is a five-time winner at Firestone and going after his third straight title in this World Golf Championship. He opened with a 68 that included another memorable shot, this one a 5-wood from 245 yards in the right rough that he squeezed between two trees and just over the back of the green for a birdie on the par-5 second.
“Very satisfied,” said Woods, who has posted a score in the 60s in the first round all 10 times he has played this course.
Women’s British Open
If Lorena Ochoa has been saving her first major for the home of golf, it gave her the ideal start.
The Mexican compiled a bogey-free 6-under 67 at St. Andrews, Scotland, in calm, sunny conditions on to take a two-shot lead in the Women’s British Open. It was the first time the women pros had played at the famous course and she came up with the best opening round.
“It was just a really good day, one of those days when things are easy and really good. There was only a little bit of a breeze and I took advantage of that and made some birdies.
“I had in my head 2 or 3 under so it’s even better than I thought.”
Ochoa finished well before lunch and then sat back to see if any of her rivals could catch up.
Sweden’s Louise Friberg and South Korea’s In-Bee Park are two behind after 69s with Japan’s Ai Miyazato and England’s Rebecca Hudson three off the lead after 70s.
Annika Sorenstam had a 1-under 72 while Michelle Wie showed signs of straightening out her game with an even-par 73.
Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., shot an opening-round 71.
Reno-Tahoe Open
Steve Flesch had two eagles and five birdies in a 9-under 63 that gave him a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Reno-Tahoe Open in Reno, Nev.
Flesch made an 18-foot eagle putt on the par-5 fourth to get to 4 under through four holes. He made the turn at 6-under 30 and got to 8 under when he hit a 3-wood within 10 feet for another eagle on the 584-yard 11th.
He birdied from 4 feet on the final hole of his bogey-free round that was one stroke off the course record and one in front of Jose Conceres.