Women's British Open

Kim gets rolling at Turnberry ahead of Ko, Kerr

Republican presidential contender Donald Trump (far right) watches England’s Charley Hull (center) play her shot on the 16th hole during the first round of the Women’s British Open on Thursday at Trump’s Turnberry Ailsa Course in Turnberry, Scotland.
Republican presidential contender Donald Trump (far right) watches England’s Charley Hull (center) play her shot on the 16th hole during the first round of the Women’s British Open on Thursday at Trump’s Turnberry Ailsa Course in Turnberry, Scotland.

TURNBERRY, Scotland -- Donald Trump's show-stealing arrival at the Women's British Open on Thursday didn't upstage another strong start to a major by South Korea's Hyo-Joo Kim.

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AP

Hyo Joo Kim of South Korea watches her tee shot in this July 19 file photo.

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FR170444 AP

Lydia Ko of New Zealand is shown in this July 18 file photo.

Kim was midway through compiling a 7-under 65 in the first round when Trump landed in a private helicopter to begin a two-day visit at the tournament at his Turnberry resort in western Scotland.

The fourth-ranked Kim, who shot a first-round 61 in winning the Evian Championship in her major championship debut last year, was leading by one stroke over Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Cristie Kerr of the United States.

Ko is looking to become the youngest winner of a major. She'll be 18 years, 3 months, 9 days on Sunday, seven months younger than Morgan Pressel when the American won the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2007.

Top-ranked Inbee Park began her quest to complete a sweep of the majors by shooting 69 in what she described as "perfect conditions for golf," with three of her five birdies coming in her last five holes.

Defending champion Mo Martin shot 70, and Michelle Wie, wearing a brace on her left ankle because of a bone spur, had a 76.

Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) had a 2-under 70 and was tied in a group of 14 for 23rd.

Australia's Karrie Webb, the last champion at Turnberry in 2002, shot 80 and was tied for 141st in the field of 144.

Ko, who went out in the second group after waking up at 3:30 a.m., was on the 16th hole when Trump's helicopter twice circled the Ayrshire links.

"I was like, 'Man, that's a really nice helicopter,' " Ko said. "I would love one."

The world No. 2 already was 6-under par by then, with a run of four consecutive birdies from No. 2 giving her momentum. On No. 5, she fired a 5-wood from 179 yards to inside 2 feet.

Ko is trying not to think about what a victory would mean this weekend.

"My goal is to have one major in my career, but it doesn't need to be now," Ko said.

Ko held the clubhouse lead for barely an hour before being overtaken by Kim, who rolled in five birdies and an eagle putt from 10 inches at the par-5 14th in her first round in a British Open.

This is only her fifth major championship -- and she already has a victory as well as ninth and 11th-place finishes.

"I kept playing good today," said Kim, who donned earmuffs to combat the early morning chill. She was one of three players in the field to be bogey-free in her first round.

PGA TOUR

Woods fires 3 under

GAINESVILLE, Va. -- Tiger Woods took a conservative 3-wood off the first hole at the Quicken Loans National when many players were hitting driver. No matter -- he still pull-hooked it into the gallery, hit his second shot into a greenside bunker and lipped out a 5-footer for par before slamming his putter against his bag.

On the third hole, he missed the green well left and had to get up-and-down for bogey. A three-putt on No. 4 left him 3 over.

It was his final bogey of the day.

Woods got a fortunate deflection off a marshal left of the green on the par-5 fifth. He apologized, handed out an autographed glove and made his first birdie. He then ran off five birdies in six holes around the turn for a 3-under 68. That left him five shots behind leaders Retief Goosen and Ryo Ishikawa at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

Woods said it was the first time since the Masters in April that he's turned a bad round into a good one.

"That's what scoring is all about," Woods said. "I made a lot of key putts today. I ran them by the hole but I made all the comebacks, and overall I felt like I hit the ball well enough to turn it around. It was nice to actually turn it around."

RTJ is welcoming a regular PGA Tour event for the first time after hosting four Presidents Cups, most recently in 2005, and experience seemed to help. Goosen, who played in two of those events, had a bogey-free 63. Presidents Cup veterans Ernie Els and Justin Leonard were one shot back, along with Kevin Chappell.

Ishikawa, who started on the back nine, ran off six birdies in a row starting on the 14th hole. Then he made a hole-in-one on the 180-yard fourth, spinning an 8-iron 15 feet back into the cup for his first competitive ace in the United States.

At that point he was 8 under with five holes to go. He parred the last five.

Defending champion Justin Rose, the highest-ranked player in the field, was three shots back. So was Ollie Schneiderjans, making his second professional start.

Rickie Fowler also made an ace, kicking a 7-iron off the fringe and into the cup on the 184-yard ninth, his final hole of the day. He was four shots back after a 67 that could have been much better.

David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) had a bogey on the third but finished with four birdies for a 3-under 68, good enough for a tie for 27th.

Bryce Molder (Conway) is just behind the group at 3 under after a 2 -under 69 which included four birdies and two bogeys.

Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) is at the bottom of the leaderboard after a 2-over 73. The round included three birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey.

EUROPEAN TOUR

Lawrie advances in match play

ABERDEEN, Scotland -- Former British Open champion Paul Lawrie advanced to the last 32 of the European Tour match play event he is hosting in northern Scotland with a 5-and-4 victory over Romain Wattel on Thursday.

The most comprehensive victory in the first round of the inaugural Paul Lawrie Match Play in Aberdeen belonged to Spain's Alejandro Canizares, who was a 7-and-6 winner over Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark.

James Morrison, the top seed from England, beat Pelle Edberg 2 and 1 to progress from the last 64.

John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) dropped out following a 2-up loss to Spain's Jorge Campillo. Fellow American Peter Uihlein beat England's Oliver Wilson 2 up at Murcar Links.

WEB.COM

Kraft opens big lead

Kelly Kraft had a three-stroke lead Thursday over Ryan Spears in the first round of the Utah Championship at Lehi, Utah.

Kraft had an eagle on No. 14 and seven birdies for a 9-under 63.

Eight players were tied for third at 5 under.

Sebastian Cappelen (Arkansas Razorbacks) had an even-par 72. Andrew Landry (Razorbacks) was at 1-over 73. Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) was 1 over through 17 holes and Zack Fischer (Little Rock) was 4 over through 16 holes.

Sports on 07/31/2015

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