Sweden’s Linnea Ström fired an opening round of 68 (-4) to hold a two-stroke lead after the first day of action at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open.
On a testing day at Vipingo Ridge, four players finished the day under par with Ström at the top of the leaderboard on four-under.
The 25-year-old rolled in eight birdies around the Baobab Course including five on the back nine, as well as carding two bogeys and one double bogey.
“The wind was tricky out there and the course was pretty firm, so if you don’t hit it where you want to it can pretty much bounce anywhere,” said the Swede.
“I played steady today, I had eight birdies, but I made some mistakes as well. Overall, I’m pretty happy with the score, there’s still some things I need to figure out especially in the right to left wind, but hopefully I can work that out tomorrow and continue to play well.”
Despite the tricky wind, the conditions are something which seem to suit Ström as she played in similar conditions at the Aramco Team Series – Sotogrande last year where her team finished second.
“I don’t mind the wind. When I play in wind, I have to remind myself to be a bit more relaxed, and that’s something I have been trying to work on in the last year,” she continued.
“Today I knew I had to be relaxed to have a good swing and keep a good tempo, so I think I managed to do that well today. I had a good game plan and I enjoyed it out there with my caddie.”
France’s Emma Grechi sits in second place having shot a round of 70 (-2) in the first round which included five birdies and two bogeys.
“I had many ups and downs, but I just had to focus on my strategy and hit the greens and make the putts,” said the Frenchwoman.
“I started in the morning but after the first nine I had some wind, so I had to take on the flags and be aggressive and try to make my putts, and all that happened so that’s good.
“I came here to see if what I worked on in the winter is working or if I have to try something else, but I think it’s fine – I’m happy and I think my coach will be happy.”
Two players are in a share of third place on one-under-par as Wales’ Amy Boulden and Sweden’s Julia Engström produced rounds of 71.
“It was tough out there. I played here two years ago, and it played quite different to then. It’s a great test of golf especially with the wind out there, so just trying to keep the ball in play really,” said Boulden.
“The fairways are narrow, but my game plan is hit the driver and try to get over a lot of stuff, with the greens I’ve been pitching on the front and hoping that it stops.”
Engström, who is returning to the Tour after an injury layoff, was pleased with her day’s work and especially her birdie on the last.
“It was tough out there, we were quite happy at the beginning to not have the wind, but then it picked up,” she said.
“The greens are hard, and the fairways are hard, so it just kept on bouncing, it’s very tough out there especially now the wind is picking up. I hardly remember the last time I fist-pumped but that was fun on the last.”
Five players are tied for fifth place on level par with Spaniards Marta Sanz Barrio and Carmen Alonso alongside Finland’s Elina Nummenpaa, Belgium’s Manon De Roey and France’s Anne-Charlotte Mora.
One shot further back are four players including Eswatini’s Nobuhle Dlamini, as well as Germany’s Luisa Dittrich, India’s Amandeep Drall and Finland’s Tiia Koivisto.
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