Sorenstam Warms to Her Late Start

It was so cold Friday morning that frost on the greens caused a 15-minute delay for the first round of the Valley of the Stars Championship at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale.

But by the time Annika Sorenstam teed off shortly before noon, it was a perfect Southern California day.

Enjoying her time in the sun, Sorenstam shot a five-under-par 67 to take a one-stroke lead over Stephanie Lowe and Catrin Nilsmark.

Lowe, who teed off at 7:48, said, “The change in the temperature from when I started to when I finished was amazing. There must have been a 35- to 40-degree difference. I had ice on my spikes this morning.”

Sorenstam, the Swede who has dominated the LPGA Tour since 1995, said, “It was unbelievable. I was lucky to have an afternoon tee time. I normally like to play in the morning because the greens roll better. But it was definitely one of those days that you’re lucky to tee off late.”

Sorenstam, who reached 17 greens in regulation, had six birdies and one bogey on the 6,276-yard layout nestled in a nook of the Verdugo Hills.

Sorenstam, Lowe and Nilsmark all started on the back nine, and that seemed to be a plus. “The back nine is easier and it gets your confidence going,” Sorenstam said.

Sorenstam’s bogey came on No. 1, her 10th, a 482-yard, dogleg left par five with a tricky, steep green. After her third shot, Sorenstam faced a seven-foot putt from above the hole.

“I just tapped it and it rolled four feet past,” she said. She missed the putt coming back, her only three-putt of the day.

Although the sunshine helped, Sorenstam said her 67 was mainly because of a new putter that hasn’t hit the market yet and a crossover grip she has been using regularly for six months.

“Before I went to the crossover, I was having trouble with short putts,” she said. “I was unsteady and pushing them left or right of the hole. I’m right-hand dominant and I had a tendency to jerk it with the wrist. I don’t do that with the straight left arm.”

She said the confidence with her putter allowed her to be aggressive. “When you know you can make it coming back, you’re not afraid to go three or four feet past,” she said. “I putt well when I’m not afraid.”

The accuracy with her approach shots helped too. “I was within 12 feet all day, except on nine [her 18th hole],” she said.

That’s where she hit her one bad shot. She pulled a wedge 30 feet left of the pin and then was faced with a tricky, four-foot par putt to maintain the lead. She aggressively dropped it into the heart of the hole.

Could she have shot a 67 in the colder morning temperatures?

“I think so,” she said. “Cold weather doesn’t bother me. I grew up in it.”

Sorenstam said she is playing in this tournament because she loves the course. “It’s an old traditional course with narrow fairways and small greens. It makes you think.”

Sorenstam has always played well at Oakmont. She finished second two years ago, two strokes behind Terry-Jo Meyers. She finished two strokes back last year, when Dale Eggeling won in a playoff, but was tied for sixth.

Nilsmark, another Swede, sees more low scores today and Sunday. “The greens are a little bumpy in places, but other than that, the course is in great shape,” she said.

Dottie Pepper, Jane Geddes and Luciana Bemvenuti are at 69. Eggeling, Pat Bradley and Helen Alfredsson are among seven players three shots behind Sorenstam at 70. Amy Alcott and Beth Daniel, who this week became the 15th and 16th members of the LPGA Hall of Fame, each shot 73.

The Leaders

Leaders through Friday’s play (Complete scores, Page 10):

VALLEY OF STARS--Par 72

Annika Sorenstam: -5

Stephanie Lowe: -4

Catrin Nilsmark: -4

Sherri Turner: -3

Dottie Pepper: -3

Jane Geddes: -3

Luciana Bemvenuti: -3