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Mama Scranton, 45, ties for Corning lead

By TIMES WIRES
Published May 26, 2006

CORNING, N.Y. - Nancy Scranton, who has 18-month-old twins, shot a 7-under 65 Thursday and was tied with Meena Lee for the first-round lead at the LPGA Corning Classic.

Brandie Burton, Kris Tamulis, Jeong Jang, Hee-Won Han and Thai rookie Virada Nirapathpongporn were one shot behind.

Scranton, who didn't want to be reminded that she just turned 45, is one of 24 mothers on tour, and she couldn't remember the last time she was atop a leaderboard. Certainly, long before daughter Libby and son Luke were born.

Perhaps sister-in-law Jane, who has been baby-sitting, should take some of the credit for Scranton's surge.

"I've been getting more sleep," said Scranton, whose husband, Mark, is her caddie. "It certainly doesn't hurt, and I'm going to tell her that, too. You can't leave."

Scranton, who had only three rounds in the 60s last year, finished in a tie for 14th at last week's rain-shortened Sybase Classic after opening with 69. Her best finish this year was eighth at the Takefuji Classic last month.

"I hit it quite well today," she said. "It's funny how sometimes when you have a really good day how easy it seems."

Morgan Pressel of Boca Raton, who turned 18 Tuesday and graduated from high school Saturday, didn't fare too well on the first round of her career at Corning. She had three birdies, nine pars and five bogeys to finish at 2-over 74.

Also at 74 was Beth Bauer of Tampa. Brittany Lincicome of Seminole shot 75 and Kelly Lagedrost of Brooksville was at 76.

Playing on his home course, Gil Morgan shot 5-under 66 to take a one-shot lead over playing partner Peter Jacobsen after the first round of the Senior PGA Championship in Edmond, Okla.

Morgan, 59, had six birdies on the 7,107-yard Oak Tree Golf Club layout. It was his first full round on his home course since October and his best competitive round there ever.

Tied at 3-under 68 were 2001 Senior PGA champion Tom Watson; Jay Haas, who has won his last two Champions Tour events; and Loren Roberts, a three-time winner this year who has yet to finish out of the top 10 in eight previous Champions Tour events.

Wind, cited by many players before the first major of the year as a potentially decisive factor, wasn't much of one Thursday, staying mostly under 15 mph. But players did deal with significant heat: the daytime high of 96 in nearby Oklahoma City broke the previous record for a May 25 by 3 degrees, and in Guthrie - even closer to the course - it hit 100.

The National Weather Service forecast temperatures in the lower to mid 90s during the final three days of the tournament, as well as stronger winds.

Chris Smith used some strong putting and a little creativity around the greens in shooting 6-under 64 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the St. Jude Classic in Memphis.

Smith, whose lone tour victory was the 2002 Buick Classic, needed 24 putts in a six-birdie, bogey-free round that easily was his best this year.

"I got done, and John Cook said someone else was playing under my name. I'm not sure what happened," Smith said.

D.A. Points shot 66. Paul Azinger and Tom Pernice were among only four golfers teeing off in the afternoon to crack the top of the leaderboard with 67s, and Azinger said winds gusting to 22 mph made the usually scoring-friendly TPC at Southwind a tough course.

Paul Casey finished with birdie-eagle for 5-under 67 and a share of the lead with Luke Donald, Nick Dougherty and Andrew McLardy after the first round of the BMW Championship in Virginia Water, England.

Angel Cabrera, David Howell, Peter Lawrie and Raphael Jacquelin were a shot back. A group of 11 at 3 under included Ernie Els, Ian Poulter, Jose Maria Olazabal and Paul Lawrie.

Retief Goosen, the highest ranked player in the field at No. 3, shot 70.

[Last modified May 26, 2006, 00:51:15]