Lauren Walsh, making the most of an extended return to Europe with the LPGA on hiatus following the Solheim Cup, is in the hunt for a first LET victory after an impressive opening to the La Sella Open in Spain.
The Kildare woman finished fifth at the same event last season and signed off her opening round in style with an eagle-three on the ninth – her 18th – having traded two birdies and a bogey over the previous 17 to shoot a three-under 69 that leaves her one shot off the lead.
Olivia Mehaffey is the only other Irish woman in red figures, but the Tandragee woman still has the ninth hole – her 18th – to complete as play was suspended for darkness following an earlier two-and-a-half-hour delay for thunder and lightning.
Sara Byrne is next best at +1 and tied for 47th, while Aine Donegan is a shot outside the provisional cut mark at +3 and Anna Foster (+5) and Annabel Wilson (+7) have further ground to make up to see weekend action.
Six players share the lead at -4, and the leaderboard has a truly international flavour with France’s Ariane Klotz, South Africa’s Caitlyn Macnab, England’s Gemma Clews, Germany’s Helen Briem and England’s Hannah Screen all tied at the top.
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