Double Sherri please!

Former Women's British Open Champion Sherri Steinhauer and Sherri Turner lead the Phillips Invitational in Texas

Double Sherri please!

Sherri Steinhauer recorded six birdies and one bogey en route to an opening-round, five-under-par 65 to grab a share of a two-shot, first-round lead with Sherri Turner at the $850,000 Philips Invitational Honoring Harvey Penick at the Onion Creek Club. Turner, inspired by a lesson on Wednesday, recorded seven birdies and two bogeys en route to her 65 (-5).

The former Rolex Player of the Year, Turner, and Steinhauer hold a two-shot lead over Michele Redman and Texas natives Cindy Figg-Currier and Wendy Ward heading into second-round action.

"I played very well," said Steinhauer. "My driver wasn't as good as I'd like it to have been, but I made up for it with a few good putts. I played here back in my college days. I used to love coming out here to play. I feel like I'm a little more familiar with this course."

A group of 10 players that includes Laura Davies, Meg Mallon and Charlotta Sorenstam posted two-under-par 68s at the par-70 course and stand three strokes back heading into second-round action.

Steinhauer began with a birdie on the par-4 12th hole, her third hole, after sinking a 12-foot putt and went on to record a bogey on the 14th hole and birdies on holes 17 and 18 to make the turn at two-under-par. Steinhauer birdied the par-5 first hole, her 10th hole, to get to three-under-par and also carded birdies on the fifth and ninth holes to finish at five-under-par.

"I finished with the best drive of the day on number nine," said Steinhauer. "I felt good about my irons today. The best part today was my putting. The greens were a little tricky and I was extremely pleased with my putting today."

Turner broke out early, recording birdies on the first three holes to get to three-under-par before bogeying the par-4 fourth hole to return to two-under-par. Turner followed with a string of seven consecutive pars on holes five through 11 before going to three-under-par with a birdie on the par-4 12th hole.

"I got off to a really good start today with three birdies," said Turner. "Even after the bogey on the fourth hole, I remained calm and knew I could make a few more birdies. I knew I'd have some opportunities."

As result of a strong 1999 season, Turner entered the 2000 season with a great deal of confidence. However, after a poor showing at last week's Chick-fil-A Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez in Atlanta, where she missed the cut, her confidence was gone and she knew she needed a some help with her swing.

"I knew I needed a quick lesson, and I worked with Rosie Bartlett on Wednesday," said Turner. "She's an LPGA teaching pro from Dallas. It took about two swings. I worked on the arch in my back, then I was hitting the ball better."

The three-time LPGA champion went to four-under-par with a birdie on the 15th hole before recording a bogey on the 16th hole. She finished the day the same way she started it, on a hot streak, with birdies on the par-3 17th hole and the par-5 18th hole to finish at five-under-par.

Austin, Texas, residents Figg-Currier and Ward join Redman in a three-way tie for third at three-under-par 67. Defending champion Akiko Fukushima carded a one-under-par 69 and stands four strokes off the lead with a group of nine other players.

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