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Golden drains twister for 1-shot LPGA lead

VAUDREUIL-DORIAN, Quebec -- Kate Golden was as surprised as anybody.

Golden rolled in a 66-foot eagle putt on her final hole Thursday for 5-under 67 and the lead at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open, one shot better than Mi Hyun Kim.

"I didn't hit it very well Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, and was a little concerned about today," said the 35-year-old Golden, who has one win in a decade on tour. "But it all kind of came together at the right time."

The right time was the 471-yard, par-5 ninth. Golden, who has missed six of 16 cuts this season, appeared set to tie for second as she teed off. But after gambling and hitting 3-wood over bunkers that guard the green, she sank a severely sloping putt for the lead.

"I had putted that in the practice round, I knew it was going to move left to right," Golden said of the putt, which broke 5 feet. "I thought, "Okay, just trust it and hit it out there.' ... Those are the ones that make you want to play again."

In a five-way tie for third were Kelly Robbins, Hee-Won Han, Gloria Park, Michele Redman and Michelle Ellis. Moira Dunn, Rosie Jones, Laurie Rinker-Graham, Dorothy Delasin, Marisa Baena, Jung Yeon Lee and Catriona Matthew shot 70. Karrie Webb, who won the Women's British Open on Sunday, opened with 72.

NORTH WEST OF IRELAND: Costantino Rocca, Anders Forsbrand, Allan Hogh, Jesus Maria Arruti and Massimo Florioli battled 40 mph winds to tie for the first-round lead at 1-under 71 at Ballyliffin Golf Club. Rocca won this tournament three years ago for his last European PGA Tour victory.

COMPAQ OPEN: Annika Sorenstam, playing at home in Sweden for the first time in two years, shot 5-under 67 for a share of the first-round lead of the European LPGA Tour event at Helsingborg. Sophie Gustafson matched Sorenstam on the Vasatorp Golf Club.

U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR: Walailak Satarak of Thailand beat Aree Wongluekiet of Bradenton on the 19th hole of their round of 16 match at Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough, N.Y.

GOLDEN BEAR TOUR: Hiroshi Matsuo, the circuit's player of the year in 2001, earned his first win this season with 69 in the final round in the PLI Challenge at Hammock Creek Golf Club in Palm City. He beat Dan Stone of St. Petersburg (69) by three.

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