Michele Thomson leads the way after day one of the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at Dumbarnie Links, as the Aberdonian made the most of her home advantage to shoot an early round of 65 to set the bar for the rest of the field.
An eagle on the par-five second helped Thomson on her way in Fife, and despite bogeys on the first and fifth holes, a run of four successive birdies from holes eight to eleven put her back on track heading back to the clubhouse.
The birdies continued to come for the 33-year-old, with her trusty putter doing the business on holes 13 and 15, before taking herself to -7 on the final hole to put her in a commanding position after day one.
“Obviously being at The Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open, it’s my fourth one now but obviously still got the nerves off the first tee and hit a bit of a ropey drive and just made bogey from there which was fine,” Thomson said.
“I’m experienced enough now to know that it’s only the first hole and just kind of bring it back of breathe a little bit.
“I just wanted to reset and made eagle which got me back to under par straight way and just played great from there.”
It was just last month that Thomson had to retire from the Gant Ladies Open in Finland after Dad Graham suffered a heart attack mid-round, and after a testing few weeks she marked her return to form with a formidable 18-hole performance in front of her onlooking father.
“I’ve had quite a tough time with dad in Finland obviously and haven’t been concentrating on my golf but that shows me that golf’s just golf and just get on with it and whatever happens, that’s life.
The Scot leads the way by two shots heading into day two, with a trio of players two shots back after the first 18 holes, including Anne Van Dam and Jasmin Suwannapura.
2021 US Women’s Open Champion Yuka Saso is also just two shots off the lead, with the Filipino star carding eight birdies in her round of 67 (-5).
The 20-year-old picked up shots on the second and third holes at Dumbarnie Links, before a double-bogey on the sixth contributed to a level-par front nine.
But it was a different story on the way back to the clubhouse, with her putter working wonders to secure five birdies in seven holes between the 10th and 16th to get her back into contention.
Saso said: “Obviously the golf course is so beautiful. It’s different golf than what I’m used to. You don’t really use driver, second shot around the tee. But it’s really fun and it’s a new experience for me. So I’m really enjoying it.
“I think it’s going to be really fun. Like I hope to putt like the last nine holes tomorrow and hit some good shots from the tee. I think it’s going to be very important. I think I’ll just take it shot-by-shot and try to feel what I have to do, and take it from there.”
Race to Costa del Sol leader Atthaya Thitikul is also among the leading pack after day one, with the Thai star signing for a 68 (-4), although she will be left ruing a dropped shot on the last.
Thitikul – who took victory in the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open earlier in the year – started her round with a bogey 6 on the second, before turning on the style to roll in birdies on holes three, seven and nine to get back on track.
Further birdies on 11, 13 and 15 saw the 18-year-old rise up the leaderboard throughout the day, before her late bogey sees her sit in T5.
“I started not really good on a couple holes but I thought it’s my irons and the momentum of the putting. Then I make a lot of putts, and then yeah, today I think overall it’s pretty good,” Thitikul said .
“I am 18 I’m here as a member of LET, and this tournament, this week, it’s amazing for us. It’s a strong field.”
Olivia Cowan and Becky Morgan are among the ten players sat on -4 after Thursday’s action, as well as Scotland’s Kelsey MacDonald, who secured an impressive eagle on 15 during her bogey-free round.
A number of potential Solheim Cup players are on show this week, with LET Solheim Cup Points standings leader Emily Kristine Pedersen firing a first round 69 (-3), while second-placed Sanna Nuutinen finished the day on level-par.
Reigning Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open champion Stacy Lewis got her week off to a steady start at Dumbarnie Links after a solid round of 71 (-1), with four birdies and three bogeys in her day’s play.
