With just two holes to play in her opening round at the Dutch Ladies Open at Goyer Golf Club, Lauren Walsh stood all alone at the top of the leaderboard but a bogey-double finish saw her slip back into a share of eighth at the conclusion of play.
On a breezy day, the firm golf course stood tall to the challenge of the cream of the Ladies European Tour, and when round one was in the books, just 23 players were in red figures.
Carton House touring pro Walsh started her first round on the 10th and quickly moved to the business end of affairs with birdies on each of her opening two holes but it would prove to be a topsy-turvy first nine as she’d bogey 13 and 16 but add three further birdies on 15, 17 and 18 to turn at -3.
Two more birdies on three and seven took her to the top of the board, but the bogey-double bogey finish will have soured her lunch, especially on a week where the winning score is likely to be in single figures or low double digits under par.
One behind Walsh in a share of 16th at -1 is Canice Screene. The London-born daughter of Irish parents is making her first LET start after securing Category 16 status at December’s LET Q-School and she’s making the most of her opportunity.
One birdie and one bogey on the way out were followed by two birdies and one more bogey on the way home, though she too will have left the course a little disappointed after dropping a shot on her final hole.
Anna Foster on level-par and tied for 24th and Annabel Wilson sharing 51st at +2 are both on course to play in Sunday’s final round but Sara Byrne will need to go low in round two after an opening five-over 77 leaves her back in 93rd on her return from a three-week stint on the Epson Tour in the United States.
Denmark’s Sofie Kibsgaard and Poland’s Dorota Zalewska share the lead after the pair opened with rounds of 68 for -4 tallies.
Kibsgaard carded a bogey-free round for the first 18 holes at the new venue for 2025. The 26-year-old had a solid start, securing three birdies on the front nine, before adding another on the 17th.
“I think from the outside it looks easier than it is,” said Kibsgaard. “The course is tough, it’s challenging with the wind, and it’s really firm. I just hit the right shots at the right time.”
Despite a few missed greens, she kept her round steady.
“I made some crazy up-and-downs, but overall it was very solid. It’s a tricky layout, kind of like Hilversumsche [where the 2024 tournament was held] – tree-lined, windy, and firm.”
After some time at home for a few weeks since South Africa, Kibsgaard said she has focused hard on her long game and green reading.
“I’ve been doing a lot of work on my long game, my irons, drivers, a lot of green reading. It’s nice to see some of the work paying off.
“There’s still a lot of golf left for this tournament, so I’m just going to start a fresh tomorrow. I’ll just keep doing what I’ve been doing right now and be patient out there. I’m going to see Amsterdam tonight, take some time off and not think about golf.”
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