It’s crunch time in the Ladies European Tour as this week’s Hero’s Women’s Indian Open is the fourth last tournament before the end of the season, with a couple of Irish golfers needing a good result to solidify their status for next season.
Canice Screene, Anna Foster, Annabel Wilson and Sara Byrne all travelled to compete at the DLF Golf and Country Club. Thursday’s round one proved to be a slow one for the Irish in the field as none of them managed to get under-par.
Canice Screene posted a two-over-par 74, the best round of the bunch. A bogey on the first was not ideal for the 24-year-old, but she quickly cancelled it out with a birdie on the par-5 fourth.
Screene mixed in some birdies along with bogeys but ultimately, she will be disappointed with her finish to the back nine, making three bogeys in five holes to sit T35 heading into round two. Screene is ranked 142nd in the standings and will need a top five finish to break into the top 100 after this week.
Just behind Screene on three-over-par are Annabel Wilson and Anna Foster in T46.
A horror start for Wilson saw her six-over-par through six holes, but the 24-year-old battled well on the back nine to limit the damage. Wilson sits in 85th in the standings and has a good chance to break into the top 60 to retain full membership.
A rollercoaster round for Foster saw the Elm Park golfer make five birdies, three bogeys, a double and a triple. Foster is ranked 47th and should be on course to retain full membership.
Sitting a few shots back at five-over-par is Cork’s Sara Byrne as she struggled to score well, making only one birdie. Byrne is currently ranked 63rd, meaning she is within the top 64 and earning a spot to the season ending Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de España. A good finish this week and a push towards the top 60 will ease some pressure for Byrne.
At the top side of the leaderboard its India’s Vani Kapoor who takes a one-shot lead into round two after posting a five-under round one.
The Indian star is competing in her 13th home open and made the most of home advantage at DLF Golf and Country Club.
“After today’s round, I definitely feel more confident,” said Kapoor. “But actually, to go out there and put in the work and do my job. It’s good to get some good numbers and ensure that I am on the right track and I’m working on the right things.”
“DLF was my friend today, so I hope it continues to be my friend. There were no mistakes as such, I just had one bogey on the second hole. I took my lesson from there and then I was like, let’s just play within limits. Let’s not try to do a lot of things,” added the 31-year-old.
Three players are in a share of second place with Indian amateur Zara Anand, Singapore’s Shannon Tan and Germany’s Verena Gimmy all on four-under-par.
England’s Alice Hewson occupies solo fifth place at three-under, with five golfers in a share of sixth at two-under.
Leaderboard
