LADIES BRITISH OPEN AMATEUR

SOUND START BY ROSEANNE NIVEN
Crieff teenager Roseanne Niven made a sound start to the Ladies British open amateur championship at Royal County Down Golf Club, Newcastle in Northern Ireland.
She matched the par of 75 in far from easy conditions - a bit of a wind in fast-running conditions with fiery greens.
Roseanne started at the 10th - this is the first time the LGU have ever used a two-tee start in a championship - and had an eventual first nine holes. She had a double-bogey 5 at the short 14th but birdied three of the par-5 holes, the 13th, 15th and 18th to turn in one-under-par 37.
Miss Niven carried on birdieing the par-5s with a 4 at the first hole but she dropped shots at the fourth, sixth and eighth before birdieing the long ninth for one-over-par 38 for her second nine.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) did well to salvage a two-over-par 77 after being three-over-par at the end of her first nine holes. She birdied the long third but bogeyed the second, fourth, sixth and eighth.
Miss Wilson added another bogey at the long 12th but covered her last six holes in two under par with birdies at the 13th and 16th for 37 home.
"It was a totally different wind today than from the last day of practice," said Jenna. "The greens are hard and you have to drop the ball well short to have any chance of getting within birdie putt distance.
Rebecca Watson (David Leadbetter Golf Academy) had a five-over-par 80 after starting at the 10th and covering her first nine holes in three over the card.
Tara Delaney (Carlow) was the early clubhouse leader with a two-under-par 73.