SUNNINGDALE, England — Juli Inkster had an eagle and five birdies Thursday in a record-tying 7-under 65 to take the early lead at the Women's British Open, and Annika Sorenstam had a miserable start to her final major.

Inkster, at 48 trying to become the oldest winner of a major title, was one of the earliest players out on the Sunningdale course and made the turn at 4-under 32, helped by an eagle at the par-4 ninth.

By the time the American walked off the 18th, Inkster was the leader, one shot ahead of Ji-Yai Shin, Yuri Fudoh and Momoko Ueda. Defending champion Lorena Ochoa bogeyed the 16th and 17th and finished at 2-under 69.

Inkster has won seven majors but none since the 2002 Women's U.S. Open, and now she is trying to fight off the rising young stars both from the United States and South Korea.

She said her game was so bad she thought about not traveling to Europe for last week's Evian Masters and the British Open but her teenage daughters, Hayley and Cori, persuaded her.

"I wasn't really quite sure I wanted to come and the reason I came is because my kids would kill me if I didn't," Inkster said. "I was playing so bad that it wasn't even fun."

Inkster shot three sub-70 rounds at the Evian Masters but faded to tie for ninth. But Thursday's 65 at Sunningdale tied the record for the opening round for the Women's British Open.

"Today I played really well," Inkster said. "I played aggressive when I needed to and I really only missed one green and that was on the par-3, 15th."

The 37-year-old Sorenstam, who is quitting tournament play at the end of the year, struggled to an even-par 72.

While Ueda, one of Sorenstam's playing partners, began with two birdies and then eagled the ninth and 10th holes to go to 6 under, the 11-time major champion from Sweden was 2 over.

Sorenstam started with a bogey at the par-5 first, dropped shots at the third and sixth holes and was 3 over until she finally birdied the ninth. She picked more shots after the turn, but is still seven strokes behind the leader.

"I was looking forward to a wonderful day, but I've never made as many bogeys as I have the last three months and it's driving me crazy," Sorenstam said. "I don't know what to do. It's so disappointing that I can't post something low. It seems like I can't play 18 holes."

Inbee Park, the Women's U.S. Open champion, was in even worse shape, shooting a 2-over 74.

She dropped a shot at the opening hole and had double-bogeys at Nos. 5 and 6 to reach the turn at 4-over 40.