Karrie Webb's bid to become the first player to win three US Women's Open titles in a row is hanging by a thread after a disastrous opening round.

The Australian shot a nine-over-par 79 at the Prairie Dunes course in Kansas to lie 12 shots off the lead.

Americans Juli Inkster and Laura Diaz and Australian Shani Waugh are the trio at the top of the leaderboard after shooting 67s.

Inkster, the only American to win the event in the past seven years, took advantage of the relatively benign morning conditions at the notoriously windy course.

"The wind was not as bad as it has been," said Inkster, the 1999 champion, who missed a 6ft par putt at her final hole.

"I hit some good iron shots early on, made some good putts, and that settled me down.

"It's always important to have a good first round in an Open, just to get yourself in the ball game. Now I feel I'm off and running."

Shocked

Webb had a nightmare right from the start with bogeys in her first two holes and things went from bad to worse at her 13th, the par-three 4th, which she triple-bogeyed.

"I'm pretty shocked about the way I hit it today," said Webb. "I just could not get into a rhythm.

"I'm upset with how things went. I really didn't expect it."

Catriona Matthew, fourth last year, had a one-under-par 69 with fellow Scot Mhairi McKay in a group alongside world number one Annika Sorenstam on 70.

Laura Davies, the 1987 champion, struggled to find her best form with a 75. Alison Nicholas, the only other Briton to have lifted the title, in 1997, had a 72.

Leading scores from the first round of the US Womens Open.

67 Juli Inkster, Shani Waugh (Aus), Laura Diaz
68 Kim Saiki
69 Catriona Matthew (GB), Lorie Kane (Can)
70 Audra Burks, Sherri Steinhauer, Pamela Kerrigan, Annika Sorenstam (Swe), Cindy Schreyer, Brandie Burton, Kelli Kuehne, Jackie Gallagher-Smith, Mhairi McKay (GB)
71 Aree Song Wongluekiet (Tha), Kelly Robbins, Jill McGill, Rosie Jones, Beth Daniel, Michelle Ellis (Aus), Lee Jung Yeon (S Kor), Michele Redman, Janice Moodie (GB), Alicia Dibos (Peru), Grace Park (S Kor), Yuri Fudoh (Jpn)