Annika
Sorenstam's grand slam hopes remained alive and well after a decent
opening round at the US Women's Open on Friday.
Sorenstam, who won the year's first two majors emphatically,
expressed satisfaction with an even-par 71 at demanding Cherry
Hills, despite three-putting from off the green for a bogey at her
final hole.
"If somebody had told me on the first tee, we'll give you level par, I think I would have taken it," said the 34-year-old Swede, who trailed leader Angela Stanford by two strokes with half the field back in the clubhouse.
"It's a good start. I was nervous on the first tee, hit my tee shot right and struggled (to make bogey) there. On the second hole I missed my tee shot as well and was a little out of rhythm, but then I hit a good tee shot on three and after that I calmed down and played pretty good."
Though she admitted to nerves, the experience of playing against the men at the Colonial two years ago proved invaluable.
"I could breathe today," she said. "Then again, I hit the fairway at Colonial and I didn't today, but the experience I got at Colonial is coming in really handy this week.
"I put a lot of pressure on myself and I really want to do well here. When you stand on the tees, you know you have to hit the fairways (because of the long rough), so that's double pressure right there."
Sorenstam's score was matched by, among others, defending champion Meg Mallon, while American Stanford set the pace at two-under 69.
Stanford, who lost a playoff in this event two years ago, credited her good score to patience and a good putter.
"You have to be a great putter at US Opens and I feel I am rolling it very well," she said.
"I have been putting well all year. Every time I got over it today I thought 'I am a great putter and at some point they are going to go in'."
Stanford made five birdies, along with three bogeys in a four-hole stretch just before the turn.
