Former No. 1-ranked Karrie Webb returned to form with a 7-under 66 to lead the Women's Australian Open by three strokes Thursday, while 12-year-old Oh Su-hyan become the youngest player ever to participate in the championship. Defending champion Webb had eight birdies and a bogey and was three strokes clear of Tania Elosegui of Spain and South Korea's Lee Chang-hee at 4 under. She was four shots ahead of a group of three on 70: Clare Queen of Scotland, Beatriz Recari of Spain and South Korea's Kim Hye-youn. The 34-year-old Webb, chasing her third straight Women's Australian Open title and fifth since 2000, made a confident start at the Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne. Webb hasn't won a tournament since beating South Korea's Shin Ji-yai at the second extra hole of a playoff in Melbourne last year and is hoping to break the drought this week. Oh, who hadn't picked up a golf club before moving to Australia from South Korea in 2004 and now plays off a 2 handicap, had a 6-over 79 to be 13 off the pace. But after having to miss her first week of high school to compete in qualifying and the Open, Oh hadn't given up hopes of making the cut despite a harsh self-assessment of her opening round. Noh, 17, shoots to top In Kuala Lumpur, seventeen-year-old South Korean Noh Seung-yul crammed an eagle and nine birdies in a spectacular 10-under-par 62 to take the first-round lead at the Malaysian Open on Thursday. While last season's Asian Tour rookie of the year was setting a scorching pace at Saujana Golf and Country Club, world number 11 Anthony Kim slumped to a six-over 78 on a course that is often referred to as the ‘Cobra'.The American failed to pick up a birdie all day at the event sanctioned by the Asian and European tours. Noh held a one-stroke lead over Swede Alexander Noren while China's Liang Wenchong shared third place on 65 with Frenchman Jean-Francois Lucquin. The Korean teenager made a brilliant start by sinking a 45-foot birdie putt at the 10th, his first hole, before reeling off four more birdies in an outward 31. Noh then roared home in 31, with an eagle, four birdies and a solitary dropped stroke at the par-three fifth. Malaysia's Danny Chia shared fifth place on 66 with Briton Nick Dougherty and Australian Adam Blyth. Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, chasing a third Malaysian Open crown, returned a 69.
