South African Paula Reto fired an opening round of 64 (-7) to hold a two-shot advantage at the end of the first day of The Amundi Evian Championship.
The 33-year-old began her day from the 10th tee and made a bogey on hole 11 but immediately bounced back with a birdie on 12.
Reto then rolled in a birdie on 15 before she really got into a rhythm with birdies on 18 and the first before three on the trot on holes five through seven.
The LPGA Tour winner finished with a flourish rolling in a birdie on her last hole for a back nine of 30 (-5) and to lead with a total of seven-under-par.
“I had so much fun,” said Reto, who won the 2022 Canadian Women’s Open. “The views and everything, it’s just awesome to be here. I hit some good quality shots beginning of the round and just gave myself opportunities.
“One birdie dropped, and you try to do the same thing over and over and just put yourself in good spots on this golf course. On my second hole, I hit a good shot off the tee, it was just in the bunker. I hit a good shot again, it was just the ball came back and I three-putted.
“I said it’s okay, the next hole is pretty tough and just to get myself in the fairway and give myself an opportunity. When the birdie dropped and the next couple of par saves as well, so sometimes you just stay in it, and you just don’t give up.
“You know, you never know out here with this golf course. Anything is possible. You just got to give yourself the best opportunity to make par and birdie.”
Four players sit in a share of second place with France’s Celine Boutier, American Alison Lee, Thailand’s Wichanee Meechai and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko all on five-under-par.
Three-time LET winner Boutier started her day on the 10th and made her three birdies and one bogey on her front nine.
The Frenchwoman continued her momentum on her back nine with birdies on on the first, seventh and ninth holes for a round of 66 (-5).
“A very solid first round for me,” said Boutier. “I feel like I handled the course pretty well. I didn’t hit too many rough, so it was a little bit easier to hit the greens and have more birdie chances.
“Honestly you play mind games with yourself. You just tell yourself you’re not at home, try not overthink it. Try to think it’s a normal tournament and just approach the course like a regular course.
“Instead of just being over-cautious or over-dramatic. I feel like especially on this course it’s easy to do because there are danger zones everywhere. It’s really easy to get wrapped into that. This year I just decided to try to approach it as a regular event.”
World number three Ko fired a bogey-free round of 66 (-5) on the opening day at Evian Resort Golf Club.
Thailand’s Meechai made a bogey, a double bogey and an eagle on her front nine before rolling in six birdies on her back nine to be in a share of second place.
While LET winner Alison Lee rolled in seven birdies and two bogeys on her way to a round of five-under on day one.
Nine players are one further shot back in a tie for sixth place on four-under-par including Germany’s Esther Henseleit and Norway’s Celine Borge.
The 24-year-old made a bogey on the first but soon rolled in birdies on four, six and nine, 11 and 18 for her round of 67 (-4).
Henseleit, who won the 2019 LET Order of Merit, said: “I played well. I hit many fairways and feel like that’s kind of the key out here, when you don’t hit it you always in trouble. It was just pretty easy golf really. I didn’t hole any long putts or anything. I just had good short birdie putts. I missed couple chances coming in, but it was a good day.
“It’s fun. I really like this course and I feel like every year I’m coming back I’m getting a bit better. It’s a good challenge. As I said, just hit the fairways and you’ll be fine. The greens are tricky, too, but they’re rolling really nice, so you can have some chances and take advantage of that.”
The second round begins at 7.15 am (local time) and there will be a cut to the top-65 and ties at the conclusion of the round.
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