By The Associated Press

MOBILE, Ala. - Sweden's Carin Koch shot a 10-under 62 on rain-softened greens Thursday to take a three-stroke lead after the first round of the LPGA Tournament of Champions.

Annika Sorenstam, planning to play the final five events of the season in a bid to break Mickey Wright's LPGA Tour record of 13 victories in a season, had a 66, while Nancy Lopez shot a 68 in her final event as a tour regular.

Koch, undefeated in the recent Solheim Cup matches, had the lowest round of her career, but it won't count as a course or tournament record because players were allowed to use preferred lies through the fairway.

Defending champion Se Ri Pak opened with a 65 on the Magnolia Grove Golf Club's Crossings Course. Sorenstam was at 66 along with Janice Moodie, Patricia Meunier-Lebouc and Emilee Klein, while Michele Gustafson and Michele Redman followed at 67.

Sorenstam won the Samsung World Championship last week for her career-high ninth tour victory of the year and 40th career title. The Swedish star has 11 worldwide victories in 20 starts, winning her last four individual tournaments - the Compaq Classic in Sweden and three LPGA Tour events.

Lancome Trophy

SAINT NOM LA BRETECHE, France - Germany's Alex Cejka shot a 7-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead in the Lancome Trophy.

England's Nick Faldo was a stroke back along with Scotland's Dean Robertson, Swedes Richard S. Johnson and Fredrik Jacobson, American Tom Gillis and Dutchman Maarten Lafeber.

Spain's Sergio Garcia, the defending champion, opened with a 67. Scotland's Colin Montgomerie, coming off a final-round 63 in the Dunhill Links Championship at St. Andrews, had a 69.

Ty Tryon, the 18-year-old American rookie, shot a 79 that included two double-bogeys in the worst round of the day.

U.S. Senior Women's Amateur

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. - Carol Semple Thompson won her fourth straight U.S. Senior Women's Amateur, beating Barbara Berkmeyer 3 and 1 in the rain-soaked final.

The 53-year-old Thompson extended her U.S. Golf Association record for consecutive victories in an event to 24. She also became the first qualifying medalist to go wire to wire since the format changed to match play in 1997, and tied the mark for consecutive victories in the event set by Carolyn Cudone (1969-72).

Thompson, of Sewickley, Pa., also won the 1973 U.S. Women's Amateur and 1990 and 1997 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateurs.

In the morning semifinals, Thompson beat Anne Carr of Seattle 1-up in a rematch of the 2001 final. Berkmeyer, 58, of St. Louis, defeated Marsha Butler of San Diego 3 and 1.

Invensys Classic at Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS - Charles Howell III, playing with the confidence of a first-time winner, shot a 7-under 65 before the wind started to blow and tied three-time champion Jim Furyk for the lead Thursday in the Invensys Classic at Las Vegas.

Both Howell and Furyk, who also had a 65, took advantage of early tee times to set the pace at 12 under after two rounds of the 90-hole tournament played at three courses.

Howell, coming off his first win last week at the Michelob Championship, got to 12 under with an eagle on No. 13, then parred the final five holes at Southern Highlands

Howell and Furyk, the 1995, 1998 and 1999 winner, were both at 12 under, though Furyk's 131 total was a stroke better because he played the par-71 TPC at The Canyons on Thursday.

Jeff Sluman (66), Chris DiMarco (67), Steve Jones (70), Frank Lickliter II (65) and Michael Clark II (67) were 11 under, David Duval was in contention at 10 under after a 66 that included a missed 3-footer for birdie on 14 at The Canyons.