Associated Press
Thursday, October 19

MOBILE, Ala. -- Nancy Scranton made the most of prime scoring conditions Thursday, reeling off birdies on the final four holes for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke lead after the first round of the AFLAC Champions.

"There wasn't much wind today and there were some pins you could get at today, as much as it's ever going to be," said Scranton, who was a rookie on the U.S. team at the Solheim Cup two weeks ago.

"I hit it really well today," she said. "I had putts for birdies on 12, 13 and 14 but missed them. I told my caddie I had four more chances, and I cashed in on all of them."

Scranton's bogey-free round was her lowest of the year, beating the 66 she shot in the first round of the Suburu Memorial of Naples. She won that tournament to qualify for this event, the LPGA's tournament of champions.

Barb Mucha was one stroke back after shooting her low round of the year.

"I hit it pretty close today," said Mucha, who had eight birdies and two bogeys. "I missed two other birdie putts, so I could have had 10 birdies. It was fun."

Laurel Kean, Rosie Jones and Kelli Kuehne each had 67s, while Beth Daniel and Sherri Steinhauer had 68s.

LPGA leading money-winner Karrie Webb, a six-time winner this year, birdied the 18th hole to join a group at 69 and break a string of 10 straight rounds in which she failed to break 70.

Scranton holed a 25-foot chip shot on the 11th hole for a birdie, then her closing birdie run started when she drained a 16-foot birdie putt on 15.

She knocked it close with precision iron shots on the last three holes -- a sand wedge to 5 feet on the 16th, a 6-iron to 8 feet on the par-3 17th, then she hooked a 7-iron around a pine tree within a foot on 18 to cap off the 65.

"I was just in the edge of the first cut of rough and had to hit it around that big tree," Scranton said. "That was a great shot for me because a hook is a tough shot for me. It feels great to plan a shot like that and then pull it off. That's a good way to finish."