Patty Tavatanakit fired an opening round of 66 (-6) to hold a one-shot lead at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by PIF.
The Major champion began her round from the 10th tee and got off to a hot start rolling in four birdies in a row at Riyadh Golf Club.
Tavatanakit made another birdie on the 15 before dropping her only shot of the day on the 16th hole.
The Thai star then made two more birdies on the first and eighth holes to seal her round of six-under-par in very windy conditions.
“I really think I just blacked out the first four holes, but I was really proud of the way I played today,” she said. “It was really, really tough conditions. The commitment was like 110%, which is what I’ve been working on this off-season a lot.
“I’m just happy to walk away with everything, I did with all my process, regardless of the outcome. The outcome was really good today, but I’m just really proud of the way I was really enjoying my processes.
“I am slowly getting back to where I feel like two or three years ago when I was younger, I was fearless, and I was playing good golf. But as you age and things happen in life, so there’s a little bit more stuff going on between the ears. Now, it’s just more information but how am I going to be able to also be athletic and execute when I need to?”
Paul Reto is in second place on the leaderboard just one shot back after she produced a round of 67 (-5) on day one.
The South African also only had one dropped shot on the first day of the tournament rolling in six birdies.
Reto explained: “Especially with the conditions I thought to myself, par is a good round, but gave myself some good opportunities and committed to the lines of the targets off the tee and to the green. Next thing you know, a couple of birdies here and there, it’s a good score.
“The wind varied. Sometimes it was two clubs, sometimes it was a sidewind, and sometimes you’re gambling because it’s going to help one club but hurt one club. Sometimes I played the number, so there was a little bit of everything.
“You need to have patience to play well in the wind. Being able to see and feel the shot, not as much of an aggressive swing. Be slower and club up.”
Two players sit in a share of third place with Denmark’s Nicole Broch Estrup and Belgium’s Manon De Roey both on four-under-par.
Broch Estrup made a bogey on the second but soon rolled in a birdie on the third and fifth holes in Riyadh.
The Dane then made an eagle on 12th before rounding out her round with another birdie on 15 to sign for a 68 (-4).
“Obviously, it was very windy,” said the LET winner. “I missed the two-footer on the second hole and made a bogey and thought it’s going to be a struggle today.
“Even short putts it was so hard, but I was hitting the ball really well. I was playing really good. I had a couple of holes where I had to chip it up and down. But overall, it was super solid and I’m really happy about the day.
“Even though I found it really hard today, the more wind the better for me. You have got to be creative. You have got to be able to hit good golf shots and one of my forces is that I can do that.
“I was lucky enough to play out here, practising in Abu Dhabi in very windy conditions last week. You have just got to stay patient and try and commit to the shots.”
De Roey, who finished in T3 in last week’s Magical Kenya Ladies Open, had six birdies and two bogeys on her scorecard to be alongside Broch Estrup.
The Belgian LET winner said: “I started very strong with three birdies in a row, I knew it was going to be windy conditions, so I tried to stay very patient, swing it easy, don’t rush anything. That was my goal today and I think I stayed quite calm throughout, so that helped me.
“I’m happy with my top-10 last week it definitely gave me some confidence to perform well on this tournament because it’s a big tournament. It’s a good start, the road is long, but it’s a good start so we’ll keep going.
“I think I really paid good attention to picking my line – where to start it and where to finish it. That’s really important in the wind and I was also letting the wind be my friend. Don’t fight the wind. That was my game plan.”
American Lindy Duncan, Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen and Italy’s Alessandra Fanali are all in a share of fifth place on three-under-par.
Six players are in a tie for eighth place on the leaderboard with Ayaka Furue, Amy Yang, Peiyun Chien, Johanna Gustavsson, Celine Herbin and Alexa Pano all on two-under-par.
Due to the windy conditions, one group was unable to complete their first round but they will back tomorrow morning.
The second round will get underway at 6.45 am (local time) and there will be a cut to the top 60 professionals and ties after 36 holes.
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