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Finland's Wikstrom takes a one-shot lead

LET TOUR:Finland's Ursula Wikstrom took a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Ladies European Tour MFS Women's Australian Open at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne.

The 27-year-old from Espoo shot an impressive three-under-par 70 in heavy rain on the opening morning.

Australia's Katherine Hull, South Korea's Hee Young Park and Kiwi Sarah Nicholson were the next best placed players, all on two-under-par 70, while the defending champion Karrie Webb was one of six players on one under.

Wikstrom fired six birdies and three bogeys in total, going out in 33 and back in level par 37.

Webb had five birdies and four bogeys in her 72 and tied for fifth place with fellow Australians Michelle Ellis, Lindsey Wright, Frances Bondad and amateur Kristie Smith, as well as South Korean hotshot Ji-Yai Shin.

Finland's Minea Blomqvist and English rookie Melissa Reid were also in the mix on level par 73 and tied for 11th place with Australian professional Sarah Oh and local amateur Alison Whitaker.

Ireland's Rebecca Coakley opened with a five-over-par 78.

USPGA TOUR:Charles Warren fired a flawless six-under-par 65 to claim the early first round lead in the FBR Open at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona.

Warren birdied the first, third and fourth in an outward half of 32 and added three more at the 12th, 15th and 17th in a second nine of 33,

Warren leads by one from Brian Gay and Colombia's Camilio Villegas.

Gay fired nines of 32 and 34 for his 66 while Villegas shot four biries in six holes in a back nine of 32.

Nine players are tied at three-under-par 68 including Korea's KJ Choi, American Woody Austin and Australian John Senden.

Early first round scores (US unless stated):65 - C Warren, 66 - Brian Gay, Camilo Villegas (Col), 67 - Brandt Snedeker, Kenny Perry, Bill Haas, 68 - K.J. Choi (Kor), Woody Austin, Troy Matteson, John Senden (Aus), J.J. Henry , Boo Weekley, Phil Mickelson, Paul Goydos, Dean Wilson.

TOUR NEWS:Davis Love III, who hasn't played on the US PGA Tour since late September due to an ankle injury, has committed to play in next week's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Love, 43, underwent surgery in October and said he was hoping to return to golf in December.

However, the injury forced him to withdraw from the Del Webb Father/Son Challenge and Tiger Woods's Target World Challenge in California that month.

"I'm eager to get back into competition and get this year started," said Love.

SA TOUR:Theunis Spangenberg who upstaged the big guns to share the lead in the first round of the Nashua Masters.

The 24-year old Kathu professional made a mockery of the windy conditions at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club and rattled off six birdies to lead with a flawless six-under-par 64.

Three-time Sunshine Tour leader, Mark Murless, joined Spangenberg at the top, courtesy of a four-birdie burst over his last nine holes.