Lopez back to set a brisk pace

American Nancy Lopez set a pace nobody could match when she fired an impressive six-under-par opening round of 66 at the £300…

American Nancy Lopez set a pace nobody could match when she fired an impressive six-under-par opening round of 66 at the £300,000 Compaq Open in Stockholm yesterday. Lopez leads by one stroke from world number one Annika Sorenstam. Tracy Eakin was the best of the three Irish challengers following a 76, one stroke ahead of Dubliner Aideen Rogers, with Maureen Madill from Portstewart on 79.

At the British Open Strokeplay Amateur Championship in Cumbria yesterday, Ireland's Eileen Rose Power and Barbara Hackett had contrasting fortunes during the second round.

Hackett, the Irish title holder, was among the early starters and avoided the worst of the conditions to improve by one stroke on her opening effort of 79. Curtis Cup player Power scrambled on 84 later in the day, 11 strokes worse than her previous day's score.

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