Moodie takes first round lead

Moodie's birdie at the 17th put her in command

Janice Moodie completed her rain-delayed first round on Friday to take a one-stroke lead in the Women's British Open at Sunningdale.

Moodie, who was tied on four-under with Laura Davies and Johanna Head when darkness stopped play on Thursday, hit an impressive five-under 67.

The Scot, who is in her sixth season on the US Tour but still looking for her first Major title, had just two holes to play on Friday and rolled in a 10ft birdie putt on the 17th to move in front.

"It was very tough on Thursday with all the stopping and starting," Moodie said about the three-hour rain delay in mid-afternoon.

Davies shared the lead before play was suspended

"I had to get up at 4.45 (BST) this morning, but it's well worth it. I'm delighted with the start."

Torrential rain on the opening day brought play to an end with 69 players yet to complete the first round and leaving Moodie level with Head and Davies on a four-under-par 68.

The 28-year-old Head had prospered early on Thursday and birdied the second, sixth, ninth and 10th holes.

But a three putt at the last marred an otherwise excellent performance on a course she and her twin sister Samantha, who plays with her on the European Tour, know so well.

She said: "Sam and I play Sunningdale every year so I have gotten to know the greens very well."

Promising start

English number one Davies waited three hours to complete her round after the rain had prevented her from putting on the 12th.

She holed out but then a bogey on the 15th ensured she shared a place at the top of the leaderboard.

She had earlier made an excellent start to the event she won in 1986 after birdies at the first two holes, both short par fives.

She dropped her first shot at the third but rallied with further birdies at the sixth, eighth and 11th.

Moodie carded a flawless front nine of 32 with birdies at the first, third, fourth and eighth, adding a par at the 10th just before the suspension of play.

America's Rosie Jones briefly led on five under after a birdie at the 10th but dropped two shots at the next hole to fall back and move two under after the first round.

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Completed first round scores after a rain-affected delay
(Gbr and Irl unless stated):

67 Janice Moodie
68 Johanna Head, Laura Davies
69 Elisabeth Esterl (Germany), Kelly Robbins (US)
70 Marlene Hedblom (Sweden), Mhairi McKay, Jill McGill (US), Catriona Matthew, Grace Park (US), Marine Monnet (France), Lorie Kane (Canada), Annika Sorenstam (Sweden), Rosie Jones (US)
71 a-Rebecca Hudson, Helen Alfredsson (Sweden), Dorothy Delasin (US), Emilee Klein (US), Kelli Kuehne (US), Karine Icher (France), Becky Iverson (US), Silvia Cavalleri (Italy), Lora Fairclough, Gloria Park (South Korea), Marina Arruti (Spain), Kasumi Fujii (Japan), Se Ri Pak (South Korea)
72 Maria Hjorth (Sweden), Meg Mallon (US), Brandie Burton (US), Marisa Baena (Colombia), Patricia Meunier Lebouc (France), Yu Ping Lin (Taiwan), Kellee Booth (US), Dina Ammaccapane (US), Tracy Hanson (US), Jeong Jang (South Korea), Hiromi Kobayashi (Japan), Mi Hyun Kim (South Korea), Wendy Doolan (Australia)