Brown, Loupe share Torrey Pines lead

SAN DIEGO — American journeyman Scott Brown stole the limelight from some of golf’s biggest names as he recovered from a shaky start to charge into a share of the lead at the Farmers Insurance Open outside San Diego Thursday. While defending champion Jason Day struggled after the turn to card a level-par 72 in the opening round at Torrey Pines and world No. 4 Rickie Fowler carded a 73, Brown reeled off eight birdies in his last 11 holes to fire a 66. Despite playing on the more difficult South Course, Brown caught fire over his closing stretch after making two bogeys in the first six holes to end the day level with fellow American Andrew Loupe, who set out on the easier North layout. Americans Billy Horschel, Patton Kizzire, Tom Hoge, Rob Oppenheim and Harold Varner III all opened with 67s on the North Course while three-time champion Phil Mickelson rebounded from a double-bogey on his second hole to card a 69 on the South. American Fowler, who won the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi Championship Sunday, said of his 73: “Terrible. I think that sums it up pretty easily. It was just bad golf. I couldn’t get anything going.” Australian world No. 2 Day, who withdrew from the pro-am competition Wednesday because of flu-like symptoms, looked fatigued throughout his opening round and declined to speak to reporters afterwards as he returned to his hotel room to rest. Miyazato in seven-way tie for lead Japan’s Mika Miyazato got off to a red-hot start Thursday on the way to a seven-way share of the lead after a drama-filled opening round in the season-opening Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic at Paradise Island. Miyazato, who won her only LPGA title at the 2012 Safeway Classic, birdied six of her first nine holes before running out of steam after the turn to card a five-under-par 68 on a breezy day at the picturesque Ocean Club Golf Course. The 26-year-old from Okinawa ended the round level with compatriot Haru Nomura, Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, England’s Charley Hull and Americans Paula Creamer, Ashlan Ramsey and Alison Lee. South Korea’s Kwak Min-seo and American Jennifer Johnson opened with 69s while Swede Anna Nordqvist, American Brittany Licicome, Israel’s Laetitia Beck and South Korean Kim Hyo-joo were among eight players bunched on 70. American Michelle Wie and South Korean world No. 2 Inbee Park, however, provided the most surprising headlines of the day. Wie needed medical treatment on the 16th tee, her seventh hole of the round, after being stung by a bee in her right hand and she was never at her best as she struggled to an opening 76. Park, the highest-ranked player in the field, fared even worse as struggled with a sore back on the way to a seven-over 80 before withdrawing from this event and also next week’s Coates Golf Championship. — Agencies