When, in perfect conditions, play was not completed on the first day of the Women’s British Open at St Andrews last year, those who run the women’s professional game were forced to admit that the world’s finest players were too slow. With some rounds taking more than six hours, it was excruciating to watch and embarrassing for the professional game. All credit, then, to the LPGA in the United States for deciding that enough was enough.

At the SBS Open in Hawaii in February, Angela Park, while in second place, was penalised two shots for slow play at the 10th hole of her final round. It gave her a triple-bogey seven and put her in a tie for fifth place. Without the penalty she would have finished as runner-up and $50,000 or so (about £26,000) better off. “I didn’t think it was fair. I was crying my eyes out,” Park said.

The pace of play during the first round of the McDonald’s LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock yesterday left a little to be desired but, with most rounds finishing in about 4hr 50min, it was a big improvement.

One player who could never be accused of holding up the pace is Lorena Ochoa, the world No 1 and winner of the past two major championships - the 2007 British Open and the Kraft Nabisco Championship, in April. A win here would put her on track for the grand slam of all four major championships in a calendar year, with the US Open and British Open still to come, and the Mexican had an opening round of 69, three under par, to finish three shots behind Emily Bastel and Lorie Kane, but perfectly placed to kick on. Her round included a double bogey at the 13th, her fourth, but thereafter she gave a masterclass in control with five birdies and nine pars.

At the 6th, she even found time to ask two members of the press: “What did Annika shoot?” The player in question, of course, is Annika Sorenstam, the world No 2 and her fiercest challenger. The answer was a 70.

Laura Davies got off to a flying start with three birdies in the first four holes, but she was forced to wait an age to play her second shot to the par-four 5th, messed up her approach and dropped her first shot of the day. A poor iron shot from the 6th tee cost her another stroke and in the end she had to settle for a three-over-par round of 75 that left her nine strokes off the lead but not out of contention.

Among the other Britons, Karen Stupples had a round of 71, one under par, and Johanna Head a 72.

- Tiger Woods has been drawn to play with Phil Mickelson, his fellow American, and Adam Scott, of Australia, in the first round of the 108th US Open that gets under way at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California, on Thursday. Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Luke Donald, the English trio, will play alongside each other in another group, and Justin Rose will join up with Ernie Els, of South Africa, and Geoff Ogilvy, the Australian.