3 Share Du Maurier Lead

Kathryn Marshall endured a struggle that had nothing to do with her golf game.

The native of Scotland, an LPGA tour regular for five years, battled a migraine headache Thursday while shooting a 5-under-par 68 that earned her a share of the first-round lead in the LPGA du Maurier Classic at Oakville, Ontario.

Colleen Walker and Vicki Fergon also had 68s as the season’s last major tournament began at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Glen Abbey Golf Club course.

Marshall, a cold towel wrapped around her neck, shot 34 on each nine while Walker and Fergon each went 33-35 at Glen Abbey, which is being used for the first time for the du Maurier. The tournament, played since 1973, is moved every year to another Canadian site.

Marshall said headaches are a price she pays to play golf.

“Whenever I do play well, I tend to get headaches,” she said. “When you’re not well, you concentrate on each shot more. You just want to get off the course.”

Marshall said Thursday’s headache was the worst she’d endured since going through qualifying school four years ago.

“I thought I’d be sick on the course, I was shaking,” Marshall said. “It started on the fourth hole and it was just survival after that.”

Tammie Green, Jan Stephenson, Hollis Stacy and Brandie Burton were in a group of nine at 69. Chris Johnson, winner of the LPGA Championship, headlined the six players who shot 70.

Annika Sorenstam, the tour’s leading money-winner this season, could only match par, as did defending du Maurier champion Laura Davies. U.S. Open champion Alison Nicholas shot a 75.

Barb Bunkowsky-Scherbak of Canada made a hole-in-one at the 153-yard 7th, but shot 77.

Tracy Hanson, from Rathdrum, Idaho, shot a 72. The Spokane area’s other tour regular, Robin Walton, is not entered.

Sprint International

Wielding a new putter, Larry Mize had eight birdies to claim the lead in the suspended first round of the rain-delayed Sprint International at Castle Rock, Colo.

Lightning and rain caused a stop in play with half of the field still on the course. Two-and-a-half hours later, as weather problems continued and the course began flooding, officials stopped play for the day.

The first round was scheduled to resume at 7 a.m. today, with the second round to start about 10 a.m.

Mize, seeking his first PGA Tour victory since 1993, posted a score of 15 points under the modified Stableford scoring system used in this unique event.

Phil Mickelson, battling for a Ryder Cup berth, stood second with 14 points and Dave Stockton Jr. had 12. Scott McCarron had 11 points and 1992 International champion Brad Faxon was in a group at 10.

Former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett was among those unable to finish the first round.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: LPGA LEADERBOARD Leading scores after the first round of the $1.2 million LPGA du Maurier Classic, played on the 6,367-yard, par 36-37 - 73 Glen Abbey Golf Club: Colleen Walker 33-35 - 68 Vicki Fergon 33-35 - 68 Kathryn Marshall 34-34 - 68 Jan Stephenson 35-34 - 69 Hollis Stacy 33-36 - 69 Rosie Jones 35-34 - 69 Penny Hammel 34-35 - 69 Tammie Green 32-37 - 69 Dana Dormann 31-38 - 69 Brandie Burton 33-36 - 69 Cindy Figg-Currier 34-35 - 69 Moira Dunn 32-37 - 69