Japan’s Uehara leads British Open

Ayako Uehara of Japan got her one mistake out of the way early and opened with a 4-under 68 to lead the Women’s British Open but Michelle Wie couldn’t stop making them.

Coming off her first major at the US Women’s Open, Wie missed half of her fairways and stuck to a conservative plan on the par 5s that produced only one birdie. That was on her final hole at Royal Birkdale and allowed her to salvage a 75.

“Thought I made a good game plan,” Wie said. “Just didn’t hit good shots today.”

Even with only a mild breeze off the Irish Sea in the morning, Royal Birkdale was plenty difficult. Halfway through the opening round, only seven players were under par. Uehara and Mo Martin (69) were the only players to break 70.

Defending champion Stacy Lewis played in the same group as Uehara and shot 71 in what might be the easiest conditions all week. Uehara made bogey on the opening hole and didn’t drop a shot the rest of the way.

She ran off three birdies in a four-hole stretch, and then was flawless on the back nine as the breeze slightly strengthened. She made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 12th hole and finished with a birdie on the par-5 18th.