BBC Coverage Women's Weetabix British Open 31 July-3 Aug Coverage on this website and live on BBC 2 1155-1715 BST

Ward was in the second group out on the course and made the most of the benign early conditions at Royal Lytham & St Annes to fire a five-under par 67 and set the target for the rest to chase.

She was then joined on five under by Webb while Annika Sorenstam, who did not go out until after lunch, shot a 68 to lie one shot off the pace.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD -5 Wendy Ward (US) Karrie Webb (Aus) -4 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) -3 Lorie Kane (Can) Jennifer Rosales (Phi) Christina Kuld (Den) Shani Waugh (Aus) Se Ri Pak (Kor), Karen Stupples (Eng) Georgina Simpson (Eng)

Both Webb and Sorenstam started their rounds slowly.

Webb was level par after 10 holes before three birdies and an eagle moved her joint top of the leaderboard.

"The weather conditions are a lot more favourable than we thought, although the wind seems to be picking up," said Webb.

"Anything under par is going to be a great score."

After an early bogey Sorenstam went out in one under par and came home with four birdies and a bogey to move smoothly onto the leaders' shoulders.

Canada's Lorie Kane, Jennifer Rosales of the Philippines and Korean Se Ri Pak are among a group of seven players on two under par after carding 69s, which also includes the English duo of Karen Stupples and Georgina Simpson.

Yorkshire amateur Alex Keighley shot a superb 70, including five birdies but crowd favourite Laura Davies is way off the pace after a poor first round.