Golf: Garcia keeping pace with old hands

SERGIO GARCIA'S career continues to soar. The 19-year-old Spaniard, playing only his second professional tournament in the United States, shot a round of 67 - two strokes behind the leader Lee Janzen - in the first round of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.

Janzen, taking advantage of most of his birdie chances, made the turn in a five-under-par 31 to take sole possession of the lead. Frank Nobilo and Chris Perry opened with 67s alongside Garcia, while Tiger Woods had five birdies in his round of 68.

In the US Women's Open, Kelli Kuehne set a new course record and equalled the tournament record score with a first round 64 at West Point, Mississippi. Kuehne equalled the previous best 18-hole US Open score of eight-under- par set by Sweden's Helen Alfredsson at Indianwood in 1994.

The 22-year-old Kuehne, who won her first tournament - the Corning Classic - in New York on Sunday, led an American assault on the title. She carried on her form with a flawless eight-birdie round on her Open debut that put her one ahead of Juli Inkster, who birdied the last two holes, and three in front of another American, Moira Dunn.

Catriona Matthew was the leading British player with a three-under-par 69. The Solheim Cup player from Scotland posted her score before play was interrupted by lightning. Britain's Laura Davies, the 1987 champion, posted a 71, one ahead of Alison Nicholas, who became the second British winner of the title two years ago.