GOLF ROUNDUP : Three Tie at 67 to Lead Final LPGA Major Event

Trish Johnson sloshed through the late-afternoon rain Thursday at Coquitlam, Canada, to post a five-under-par 67 and gain a share of the first-round lead in the $700,000 Du Maurier tournament, the LPGA’s final major event of the year.

Johnson, a British golfer who splits her time between the American and European tours, led until she bogeyed her 17th hole on the 6,421-yard Vancouver Golf Club course and dropped into a tie with Laurie Rinker and Debbie Massey.

Johnson, 24, birdied three holes in a row on the back nine.

“Three birdies on the trot--you really can’t complain,” she said. “When the rain came down, it was perfect. I get fed up with the hot weather in this country.”

At 69 were Jane Geddes, Dottie Mochrie, Kristi Albers and Kathy Postlewait.

Greg Norman fired a six-under-par 64 before first-round play in the $1-million Hardee’s tournament was suspended because of rain.

A thunderstorm struck the Oakwood Country Club course at Coal Valley, Ill., in late afternoon.

Norman had six birdies and no bogeys in his 32-32 round over the 6,741-yard layout.

He was one stroke ahead of a group in the clubhouse that included Paul Azinger, Ray Stewart, Peter Jacobsen, Steve Lowery, Larry Silveira and Perry Arthur.