Storm stops Wie in LPGA tourney

Associated Press

Kristi Albers turned her day around with one swing. Hawai'i teenager Michelle Wie's round ended when she was barely halfway through.

Hawai'i's Michelle Wie had problems with her putting in yesterday's first round of the Wendy's Championship. Associated Press

A violent storm rocked Tartan Fields Golf Club late in the day after half of the 144-player field had completed the first round. After a delay of 1 hour, 29 minutes, play resumed briefly before a second storm washed out the round.

The remaining 66 players will complete their rounds early today, with the second round set to follow.

The hard winds, heavy rain and lightning created chaos in the scoring. It took more than an hour after play was called off before the tournament leaders were officially confirmed.

Wie, the tall, long-hitting 14-year-old Punahou School sophomore with the effortless swing, was 3 over through 10 holes — and was not happy about it.

She double-bogeyed her last hole, flying the green after a perfect drive. From weeds and rough behind the hole, she chipped back across the green, then chipped to 15 feet and two-putted for a 6.

Her father, BJ Wie, said she would not speak with reporters until her first 18 holes were completed. She also declined to answer questions as she came into the clubhouse after being brought in by a cart.

Wie, who started on the back nine, three-putted from the back fringe for a bogey at No. 14 (her fifth hole of the day) and then dropped to 2 over when she three-putted from 18 feet at No. 16. She rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt at the par-3 17th to get to 1 over before running into problems on hole No. 1.

Norway's Suzann Pettersen was a shot back of the co-leaders at 4 under through 17 holes.

Three players finished at 3-under 69 — Nancy Scranton, almost 5 months pregnant with twins; Patricia Meunier-Lebouc and Dottie Pepper. Three others were 3 under before their rounds were halted — 2002 Wendy's winner Mi Hyun Kim, Ji Yeon Lee and Lorie Kane.

NEC INVITATIONAL

Cink leads rain-delayed 1st round after 10 holes

Tiger Woods had the lead to himself, but consecutive bogeys dropped him to 3 under, where he stood with one hole remaining when darkness stopped play in the rain-delayed first round of the NEC Invitational. Associated Press

Three days after he was a captain's pick for the Ryder Cup, Cink made five birdies on his first 10 holes on soggy Firestone South to lead by one shot over Rod Pampling when the rain-delayed first round was suspended by darkness.

"I was playing really well out there," Cink said. "And with these conditions ... it's playing vulnerable."

Only 16 players in the 76-man field finished their round, which did not begin until 2:45 p.m (EST).

Pampling was 4 under through 12 holes.

Tiger Woods had the lead to himself until he finished with back-to-back bogeys to fall to 3 under. It was hard to tell what made Woods more upset — ending his long day with bogeys, or having to return this morning to play one hole.

Zach Johnson (12 holes) and Carlos Franco (11 holes) also were at 3 under.

"I'm just (throwing) away too many shots out there," Woods said.

RENO-TAHOE OPEN

Rookie Thatcher beats rain to lead with a 66

Rookie Roland Thatcher shot a 6-under 66 yesterday to take the early lead at the rain-delayed Reno-Tahoe Open in Reno, Nev.

Thatcher, an Auburn alum in his first season on the PGA Tour, birdied his first four holes and six of his first eight.

"It's definitely the kind of start you dream about," Thatcher said. "I haven't had the best of years to this point. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll dial in the distance the way I dialed it in today."

Mark Wiebe and Mark Wilson were a stroke back after 67s, and Corey Pavin was in a group another shot back at 68.

Rain and lightning delayed play for more than four hours, and about half the 132-player field was still on the course when play was suspended because of darkness. Play is to resume early today, with the second round to follow at the 7,472-yard Montreux Golf and Country Club.