Golf | Greg Norman's 66 good for tie for Open lead

CARMEL, Ind. — Greg Norman looked like his old self Thursday in the first round of the U.S. Senior Open.

There were the trademark drives, the string of birdies and those customary big crowds following his every move. He even rekindled an image he'd rather forget: a last-hole struggle.

Norman birdied four straight holes on the front nine, but a bogey on the final hole left him in a four-way tie with Joey Sindelar, Dan Forsman and amateur Tim Jackson at 6-under-par 66. Andy Bean and Fulton Allem are both one shot back at 67.

Jackson broke the record for low score by an amateur at this tournament, and he did it in his Senior Tour debut.

Norman and his senior tour colleagues had no problems playing on a cool, relatively calm day. Those atop the leaderboard made it look easy on the 7,316-yard course, the longest in Senior Open history.

Norman and Bean briefly flirted with 7 under but each bogeyed their next hole to lose sole possession of the lead. Bean finished with two bogeys on his last three holes.

The suddenly rejuvenated Tom Watson played conservatively because of an illness that limited him to just one practice round. Watson, who lost the British Open in a playoff two weeks ago, finished with a 1-under 71.

Woods shoots 71

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Tiger Woods played a lot like the guy who didn't make the cut at the British Open. Woods shot a 1-under 71 at the Buick Open, his first tournament since disappointing at Turnberry.

He finished the first round tied for 128th — eight shots back of leader Steve Lowery, who shot a 63.

"Probably one of the worst putting days I've ever had," he said. "It was just terrible."

If Woods fails to break 70 in the second round today, he will put himself in danger of missing cuts in consecutive tournaments for the first time as a pro.

Ryan Moore of Puyallup shot a 69. Former Husky Troy Kelly had a 73.

Gal leads Women's British Open

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England — Sandra Gal of Germany shot a 3-under 69 to grab the lead after the first round of the Women's British Open. Gal is a shot ahead of Angela Stanford and Song-Hee Kim, who each posted a 70.

Michelle Wie coped well to shoot a 1-over 73. Paula Creamer carded a 2-over 74 without a birdie. Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa shot a 3-over 75, LPGA money-leader Cristie Kerr had 76 and defending champion Jiyai Shin shot a 77.

Jimin Kang, a graduate of King's High School in Shoreline, had a 79. Wendy Ward, who lives near Edwall, outside Spokane, had an 81.