Fairfield, Jul 31 (AP) Annika Sorenstam shot a 3-under 69, racing to finish before dark, to take a three-stroke lead in the U.S. Senior Women's Open.

The 50-year-old Sorenstam, a three-time U.S. Women's Open champion making her first appearance in the senior event, birdied Nos. 7-9 to get to 8 under and closed with pars on Nos. 1 and 2 at Brooklawn Country Club on Friday.

Playing partner Liselotte Neumann was second, birdieing the final two holes for a 69. She won the 1988 U.S. Women's Open to become the first Swedish major champion.

Fifteen players were unable to finish the round. The first-round was completed Friday morning after rain prevented half the field from finishing Thursday.

Yuko Saito was 4 under after her second straight 70. Amateur Ellen Port (69) was 3 under with Rosie Jones (70), Kris Tschetter (72) and Dana Ebster (74). Catriona Matthew was the only other player under par. She was 2 under with three holes left.

The 59-year-old Port, a teacher in St. Louis, is a seven-time USGA champion.

Tschetter played a five-hole stretch in 5 under — capped by an eagle on the par-5 eighth — to offset two double bogeys and a bogey.

Ebster, tied with Sorenstam for the first-round lead after a 67, is a part-time golf instructor and assistant coach at Modesto Junior College in California.

Past champions Helen Alfredsson (72) and Laura Davies (75) were 2 over. Davies was in the group with Sorenstam and Neumann.

Juli Inkster was 3 over after a 74.

JoAnne Carner, at 82 the oldest player to compete in a USGA championship, shot a 78 to miss the cut at 18 under. She opened with an 82. She played alongside Port and seven-time USGA champion Carol Semple Thompson. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)