Friday, April 16, 2004 | 9:42 a.m.
Whether it is the walk, the swing or the words, Cristie Kerr emanates nothing but confidence.
Even Thursday's treacherous winds at Las Vegas Country Club did not dissuade Kerr as she posted a strong finish to sneak into a four-way tie for the lead at 3-under 69 after the opening round of the LPGA Takefuji Classic. And forecasts of heavy wind for the weekend don't mean much to Kerr either.
"Some people dread tough conditions," said Kerr, 26. "I happen to like them."
Kerr shaved three strokes on her final six holes to join Jackie Gallagher-Smith, Nadina Taylor and Stacy Prammanasudh in the lead. Catriona Matthew and Seol-An Jeon both began play today one stroke back at 2-under, with a dozen players starting at 1-under.
When trying to predict a winner in the Takefuji, though, it still might be best to look beyond the leaders and employ the Bob Dylan method of looking for an answer blowing in the wind.
The safest bet is likely "field" with 63 players within five shots of the first-round leaders and forceful winds ready to toy with players as they did Thursday. None of the tour's most intimidating names are among the top six leaders, with only three career victories scattered among that group.
The only sure bet seems to be winds up to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph, which are part of the weekend forecast.
"You pretty much don't have control over it once you hit the shot," Gallagher-Smith said.
That means players were generally satisfied with any score in red numbers, as the wind also dried out greens and made it more difficult to get shots to stick to them. Even with tough winds affecting most of the first day in last year's tournament, the 2003 co-leaders still posted 6-under rounds of 66.
The scoring average for the day was 74.9, an amazing number on a course known for allowing birdie and eagle opportunities. Bogeys outnumbered birdies almost 2-to-1.
"I was very satisfied with the way I played because the wind out there is crazy," Prammanasudh said. "It will be against you one second, and then a crosswind the next second and it's really just how lucky you get when you impact your ball."
Most players walked off the course with at least one horror story about how the wind affected their group. Unpredictable No. 17, a par-3 with a tough green that plays difficult enough even without the wind coming off the Las Vegas Hilton towers and down into play, was the offender for local pro Stephanie Louden, who shot an even-par 72.
"It's playing games right now," Louden said. "At 17, I was downwind for most of the time we were standing there and then the second after we hit our shots, it came right back into us."
The fun for Kerr came at the par-4 16th hole, which played as the second toughest on the course Thursday at an average of 4.406 strokes, mostly because of its 412-yard length that becomes even more challenging when the wind is blowing against you -- and with your partners.
"On 16, I was first to hit and there was a gale wind into my face and my drive went about 220 (yards)," Kerr said. "And Candie (Kung) and Alfee (Helen Alfredsson) hit after I did and they got a different gust of wind and their drives went about 280. One went 260, one went 280."
Kerr, a Miami native and resident, learned to play in the wind as a junior and that experience gives her peace heading into the final two days of play.
"I grew up in south Florida and learned to play in the wind," Kerr said. "You have to control your trajectory."
She later said: "I like my chances if the wind keeps going."
Kerr has enjoyed success at LVCC, playing in the final group in last year's Takefuji and actually holding the lead going into the back nine before faltering and allowing Kung to charge forward for her first LPGA victory.
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