CLIFTON, N.J. — The Annika Sorenstam goodbye tour got off to a great start.
Two days after announcing this would be her final season on the LPGA Tour, Sorenstam shot a 5-under 67 Thursday for a share of the first-round lead in the Sybase Classic. Two-time defending champion Lorena Ochoa was one stroke back.
Sorenstam, a former Arizona Wildcats All-American, came into the $2 million tournament off a dominating seven-stroke victory in the Michelob Ultra Open last weekend, and she was just as good getting around the Upper Montclair Country Club course in the shadow of New York City. The Swede had five birdies in a bogey-free round.
"I'm just very happy the way I'm playing," said Sorenstam, who has three victories this year after failing to win during an injury-marred 2007 season. "I worked really hard this winter and it's all coming together. My swing feels really good and my putting feels really good. This is the way I enjoy the game. It's fairways and greens."
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Song-Hee Kim also was at 67 along with Rachel Hetherington.
The leader board was crowded after the first day of the 72-hole event. Ochoa, also a former Wildcat and a five-time winner this year, was at 68 along with Pat Hurst, Catriona Matthew, Brittany Lang, Teresa Lu and Carolina Llano. Tucsonan Cindy Rarick was at 69.
But the day and, really the week, has belonged to Sorenstam. She won the Stanford International Pro-Am on April 27, then took a week off before winning last week at Kingsmill.
PGA Tour
DULUTH, Ga. — Kenny Perry sloshed through the water-logged fairways, ducking under an umbrella every chance he got.
He also hit plenty of good shots on a miserable day at the TPC Sugarloaf.
Coming off a final-round meltdown at The Players Championship, Perry endured a steady — and occasionally driving rain — to claim a share of the first-round lead with a 6-under 66 at the AT&T Classic.
The other leaders — Jonathan Kaye, Ryan Palmer, Jonathan Byrd and Parker McLachlin — all teed off in the morning before a huge weather system engulfed the suburban Atlanta course.
Perry's bogey-free round was especially impressive in light of the soggy conditions and other hardships. He had to remain on the course during a 31-minute delay when the rain turned so heavy that play had to be halted.
European Tour
ADARE, Ireland — Richard Green and Jeev Milka Singh shot 6-under 66s to share the first-round lead in the Irish Open.
Bradley Dredge was two stroke back along with Marcel Siem, Johan Edfors and Michael Lorenzo-Vera. Padraig Harrington, the defending champion, and Darren Clarke opened with 72s.
