GOLF : Four Tied for Lead in LPGA Championship

Betsy King and Alice Ritzman stepped forward to represent the old guard, and Brandie Burton and Donna Andrews did their part for the youth movement in Thursday’s opening round of the LPGA Championship at Bethesda, Md.

All four shot three-under-par 68s to share the lead after one trip over the 6,246-yard Bethesda Country Club course.

Amy Alcott and Jan Stephenson were among eight players one shot back.

Pat Bradley, one of 12 golfers at 70, had a round that included an eagle, three birdies and four bogeys.

This year’s tour has been dominated by the younger set. There have been five first-time winners in 13 events, and the average age of the winners is 29.4. Bradley, Alcott, King and Nancy Lopez all have been shut out.

“It’s kind of odd,” Ritzman said. “You usually have four or five top names each win two or three tournaments a year, but that hasn’t happened.”

A series of thunderstorms caused an overnight delay in the opening round of the $1.1-million Byron Nelson Classic at Irving, Tex. None of the 156-man field had completed 18 holes Thursday--and half had not started--when officials called the day’s play at 2 p.m. CDT.

Weather permitting, the first round will be completed today and the second round will be started.