Funk Takes U.S. Senior Open Lead

Fred Funk fired a 5-under-par 65 to take the first-round lead at the U.S. Senior Open yesterday in Colorado Springs.

The former University of Maryland golf coach, who leads John Cook by one stroke, had two birdies and an eagle on the first four holes and added birdie putts on Nos. 16 and 17 before finishing with his only bogey of the day.

Cook rebounded from his collapse at the Senior British Open last week, carding a 66 that made him the clubhouse leader until Funk's pair of late birdies at the Broadmoor resort.

"Obviously, I got off to a ridiculously good start," Funk said. "It was a good day. You can't be displeased with a 65 on this course -- or any course."

WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS: Retief Goosen, a late arrival and an early starter, took advantage of a Firestone South course that played long and short on his way to a 4-under 66 that gave him a one-shot lead in the Bridgestone Invitational.

One year after Tiger Woods was the only player to break par, Goosen and 32 other players in the 80-man field met only minor resistance in Akron, Ohio. Vijay Singh and 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson were among those at 67, while Steve Stricker was headed for the outright lead until running into trouble late in his round, losing three shots in two holes and joining another large group at 68.

Goosen, who arrived Wednesday at the tournament in time for rain to wash out his scheduled practice round, was in the second group out and didn't find any trouble until he missed the par-3 15th green to the left and made his only bogey. It was another step in the right direction for the two-time U.S. Open champion, who has not had a top 10 finish on U.S. soil since he tied for second in the World Golf Championship at Doral in March.

WOMEN: Juli Inkster had the sort of opening round Annika Sorenstam was hoping for at the Women's British Open, a bogey-free 7-under 65 that left the 48-year-old American one shot ahead of the field in Sunningdale, England.

While Sorenstam struggled to a 72 in what the Swede says is her final major before she quits tournament golf at the end of the season to start a family, Inkster went out among the earliest in the field to shoot an eagle and five birdies. Her 65 matched the lowest opening round at any Women's British Open.

PGA TOUR: Michelle Wie put herself in contention to make her first cut in eight tries on the tour, shooting a 1-over 73 in the opening round of the Reno-Tahoe Open that left her eight strokes behind leader Jeff Overton.

Playing on the men's tour for the first time since January 2007, Wie had three birdies, four bogeys and rallied to save par on several holes at the 7,472-yard mountain course in Reno, Nev.

-- From News Services