Golf: Lang leads but McKay is on her tail

American Brittany Lang shot a two-under-par 69 at Oakmont yesterday to lead the 65th US Women's Open by one stroke, with Glasgow's Mhairi McKay just two shots off the pace in Pennsylvania.

Lang, 24, was one of only five players under par at the infamously tough par-71 course near Pittsburgh, staging a US Women's Open for the second time. Lang's round featured five birdies and three birdies to give her the 18-hole lead from South Korea's MJ Hur, Inbee Park and Amy Yang, as well as South African amateur Kelli Shean, a student at the University of Arkansas.

McKay, 35, said: "I'm delighted to have finished the first round and be at even par.

"I've got my husband (Dave) on the bag, so we're still happily married at this point in time," she joked.

"My baby (14-month-old) Angus was watching from the ladies' locker room in day care. Hopefully he saw me par the ninth."

Of McKay's fellow Britons, Scottish amateur and Curtis Cup player Sally Watson was tied for 50th with England's Karen Stupples, amongst others, at four over following a 75.