13 February 2004	Friday	21 Zilhaj 1424

SYDNEY, Feb 12: Britain's Laura Davies, the first woman to compete in an Australasian or European men's tour event, said she was tired and nervous after a three-over-par 75 in the opening round of the co-sanctioned ANZ Championship.

The 40-year-old former world number one was joint 124th after recording two birdies and five bogeys on Thursday. She scored minus one for her round in the modified stableford system that rewards attacking golf.

Australia's Nick O'Hern was the first round leader on plus 18 points ahead of Briton John Bickerton on plus 16. Both shot eight-under-par 64 at the Horizons Golf Resort north of Sydney.

Australia's U.S. Amateur champion Nick Flanagan and Briton Steve Webster were equal third on plus 14. Left-hander O'Hern, who tied for second four points behind Briton Paul Casey in last year's ANZ Championship, fired four birdies and two eagles in his opening round.

Players receive eight points for an albatross, five for an eagle, two for a birdie, none for a par, minus one for a bogey and minus three for a multiple bogey.

Davies is the latest female player to compete against her male counterparts. Fourteen-year-old Michelle Wie narrowly failed to become the first female to make the cut in a men's PGA Tour event at last month's Hawaiian Open.

Sweden's Annika Sorenstam, who won two of last year's four women's majors, became the first female in 58 years to play a PGA Tour event at the Colonial in May 2003.

Leading first round scores:

+18 points Nick O'Hern

+16 John Bickerton (Britain)

+14 Nick Flanagan, Steve Webster (Britain)

+13 Peter Hedblom (Sweden)

+12 Joakim Haeggman (Sweden), Mark Foster (Britain), Peter O'Malley

+11 Henrik Stenson (Sweden), Michael Campbell (New Zealand), Andrew Tschudin

+10 Nathan Green, Richard Green, Michael Long (New Zealand), Henrik Bjornstad (Norway)

+9 Thomas Levet (France), Matthew Goggin, Miles Tunnicliff (Britain)

+8 Gareth Paddison (New Zealand), David Smail (New Zealand), Eddie Lee (New Zealand), Stephen Gallacher (Britain).

Note: Players receive eight points for an albatross, five for an eagle, two for a birdie, none for a par, minus one for a bogey and minus three for a multiple-bogey. -Reuters