With a performance that could have been inspired by Greg Norman’s heroics in the Open Championship two weeks ago, Juli Inkster, of the United States, led the way for the old guard in the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Sunningdale yesterday.

At 53, Norman defied the odds to challenge right up until the last for the oldest trophy in golf. Now Inkster, a 48-year-old mother of two, will be looking to add an eighth major championship to her trophy cabinet after opening her challenge with a near-faultless seven-under-par round of 65 that included five birdies and an eagle.

Yet on a course made for low scoring - it has four relatively benign par fives, little rough and uncomplicated greens - Inkster will have to scrap for all she is worth to keep ahead of the field. Going into the second round, she has a lead of one shot over a chasing pack of seven that includes Johanna Head, of England, and two over Karen Stupples - the champion here in 2004 - and Rebecca Hudson.

Stupples, the most recent Briton to win a major championship, is based in the United States but is a product of the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, in Kent. Her last competitive round at Sunningdale was one of 64 in which she picked up five shots in her first two holes (eagle and albatross) and went on to win the British Open by the same margin.

Yesterday, after a round of 67 that included seven birdies - four on the trot from the 10th - and two bogeys, Stupples admitted that she had been “extremely nervous” returning to the scene of her greatest triumph.

“I knew I could never get off to anywhere near the sort of start I had last time I played this course,” she said. “Knowing I had won around here before and hearing the galleries as Juli was about to finish her round really brought it home to me that I was back here to play a major.” Stupples, who became a mother for the first time 15 months ago, reached the turn in 35 but wanted better. “I was getting a bit stale out there because nothing was happening,” she said. “Then I got on a run [of birdies] with some good putts.” Among them was a seven-foot putt for birdie at the 12th and one of about 12 feet at the par-three 13th.

At 35, Stupples is revelling in her dual role as mother to a young son and professional sportswoman. So, like Inkster, could she see herself playing at 48? “I hope so,” she said. “Juli has managed to combine motherhood and golf and is somebody I really look up to. She’s a good role model.”

Head, whose twin sister, Sam, pulled out after five holes with tonsillitis, used local knowledge to good effect. Based in America, but brought up in nearby Ascot, she opened with birdies at the first two holes and had two equal halves of 33 to finish the day as the leading Briton.

Annika Sorenstam, playing her final major, had a 72 and Lorena Ochoa, the world No 1, had a 69.