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. While the Swede labored to an even-par 72 in what she says is her final major before she quits tournament golf at the end of the season to start a family, the 48-year-old mother of two teenagers went out among the earliest in the field to shoot an eagle and five birdies. Inkster, whose last major was the 2002 Women's US Open, is a stroke clear of seven players - Ji-Yai Shin, Ji Young Oh, Yuri Fudoh, Momoko Ueda, Jo Head, Laura Diaz and Stacy Prammanasudh - and her opening round gives her a realistic hope of becoming the oldest winner of a major and the second player to complete a career “Super Slam.” That's the Kraft Nabisco, LPGA Championship, US Open, British Open and the now defunct du Maurier, which only Karrie Webb has completed. A victory in Sunningdale also would mean that Inkster would have gone a women's record 24 years between her first major - the 1984 Kraft Nabisco and du Maurier - and her last. Jack Nicklaus went 24 years between his first and last majors - the 1962 US Open and 1986 Masters. While Sorenstam's decade of domination has brought 10 majors and 72 tournament victories, the product of a fiercely competitive nature and ability to grind out results, Inkster said her own longevity in the game reflects different attitudes. “I always thought I would play about five years and have a couple of kids and retire,” Inkster said. “I'm kind of unique. I really love the game and I go out and play for fun. I think (with) Annika it's a lot of hard work. Every time she tees it up she's expected to win. Her work ethic is just grind, grind, work out, hit balls.” Inkster admitted she was getting close to retirement. Inkster's 65 tied a record for the lowest opening round at the Women's British Open. Defending champion Lorena Ochoa, who birdied the first two holes, was 5-under after 15 but two bogeys toward the end of her round left her at 3
