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Ward grabs share of first-round lead

Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., hits her approach shot on the ninth fairway during the first round of the LPGA's Office Depot Championship at Trump National Golf Club Friday. She shares the lead with a 6-under 65. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press
Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., hits her approach shot on the ninth fairway during the first round of the LPGA's Office Depot Championship at Trump National Golf Club Friday. She shares the lead with a 6-under 65. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

Donald Trump’s new course fronting the Pacific Ocean looked great and played agonizingly slow during Friday’s opening round of the LPGA Office Depot Championship in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.

Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., Nicole Perrot of Chile, Karine Icher of France and Hee-Won Han of South Korea were tied for the lead with 6-under-par 65s, one better than Natalie Gulbis, Jennifer Rosales and Gloria Park of South Korea.

Three groups were timed for slow play during the round that took some players six hours to complete because of numerous rulings. Darkness stranded 25 players, who will finish the first round today.

Ward, who earned her third career victory at Las Vegas in April, opened with three consecutive birdies on the front nine at Trump National, the real estate mogul’s course in this affluent suburb south of Los Angeles.

“It was just a matter of finally putting a complete round together,” Ward said. “I have had good rounds in the past where it’s one hole here and one hole there.”

She made a 1-footer on the par 4, 315-yard first hole, then 2-putted on No. 2, one of three par 5s on the front nine. She hit a 9-iron to within 10 feet and birdied No. 3.

“Some of these holes run together,” she said. “Don’t tell Donald we said that.”

•On Wednesday, six days before she turns 16, Michelle Wie will turn professional with endorsement deals from Nike and Sony that will make her the richest female golfer.

PGA

John Huston posted a second consecutive 6-under 66 to take the second-round lead in the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro (N.C.).

Huston is at 12-under 132, one shot better than K.J. Choi (69) and two in front of Justin Rose (65) and D.J. Trahan (69).

Champions Tour

Bruce Summerhays had five birdies in a six-hole stretch and shot a 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over R.W. Eaks in the first round of the SAS Championship in Cary, N.C. Summerhays had seven birdies on the 7,177-yard and Prestonwood Country Club course in his best opening round of the year.