AMERICAN LINDSTROM EQUALS HER BEST (65)
TO BE EARLY LEADER IN FINNAIR MASTERS

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

American Kris Lindstrom equalled her best ever score on the Ladies European Tour to take the first round lead at the Finnair Masters in Helsinki today.
The Minneapolis native, who turned 34 on Tuesday, posted a six-under-par 65 at the tournament where she posted a career best finish of tied for third in 2006. Lindstrom is one stroke clear of Sweden’s Åsa Gottmo, Germany’s Martina Eberl and defending champion Virginie Lagoutte-Clement of France, all on 66.
English teenager Kiran Matharu posted a four-under 67 which was the lowest score of her short professional career and finished the day in outright fifth place.
Five players are tied for sixth: Italians Sophie Sandolo and Margherita Rigon, New Zealand’s Lynn Brooky, European Solheim Cup Team member Bettina Hauert of Germany and Johanna Westerberg of Sweden. Westerberg’s round included a hole-in-one at the 180-yard eighth.
The tournament’s youngest participant - 13-year-old Filipino Dottie Ardina, who is named after American veteran Dottie Pepper – finished her bogey-free round on two-under par and took a share of 11th position with England’s Felicity Johnson.
Tournament leader Lindstrom said she was pleased with her round after managing to overcome two bogeys in her first three holes.“I got off to a rough start, but picked it up by the end,” she said.“I three-putted on the first hole, birdied the next one and bogeyed the next.
“I enjoy it here and I feel that I can shoot a decent score when I come out.”
Eberl, 26, from Munich, attributed her fantastic round to a brand new putting style.“I have been playing well all year but had been struggling with putting,” she said.“I decided when I went home from Norway (last week) to try a belly putter. This is my first tournament to play with it and it turned out quite well.”
Sweden’s Gottmo, who shares second place with Eberl, also highlighted her putting when describing her round.“It was a good round, but it wasn’t easy,” said the 36-year-old.
“I had seven birdies and two three-putts. I made a few long ones downhill, but I missed a few short ones.”
Last year’s winner Lagoutte-Clement was in fighting mood describing her round.
“I have liked this course a lot for the last two years.
“I arrived on Monday and I wasn’t playing well but my coach came here yesterday to see me and I had a good feeling. My result is great and I am very happy.
“I’m going to rest tonight and go for it tomorrow.”
And it was a successful round for LET rookie Matharu, whose best finish in 11 starts this year was a tie for 10th at the recent S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe.
“It went well today, especially on the back nine,” she said. “I started off with a few good putts for saves and then I started playing better.”
Lynn Kenny did best of the three Scots in the field. She scored 71 - three ahead of Clare Queen. Kathryn Imrie had a disastrous 81.
Inverness-based New Zealander Liz McKinnon had a 71.
The second round begins at 8am local time on Saturday, with a cut to the leading 60 players and ties after 36 holes.
FINNAIR MASTERS
Helsinki Golf Club, Finland.
FIRST ROUND
Par 71
65 Kris Lindstrom (USA)
66 Martina Eberl (Ger), Asa Gottmo (Swe), Virginie LagoutteClement (Fra)
67 Kiran Matharu (Eng)
68 Lynn Brooky (Nzl), Margherita Rigon (Ita), Johanna Westerberg (Swe), Sophie Sandolo (Ita), Bettina Hauert (Ger)
69 Felicity Johnson (Eng), Dottie Ardina (Phi)
70 Cassandra Kirkland (Fra), Libby Smith (USA), Fame More (Eng), Laura Cabanillas (Spa), Jenni Kuosa (Fin), Lotta Wahlin (Swe), Ana Larraneta (Spa), Kaisa Ruuttila (Fin), Nora Angehrn (Swi), Riikka Hakkarainen (Fin)
71 Nathalie DavidMila (Fra), Karen Lunn (Aus), Rebecca Coakley (Irl), Lisa Jean (Aus), Amanda MoltkeLeth (Den), Isabella Maconi (Ita), Eva Steinberger (Aut), Bree Turnbull (Aus), Lora Fairclough (Eng), Emma Zackrisson (Swe), Joanne Mills (Aus), Iben Tinning (Den), Elizabeth McKinnon (Nzl), Stephanie Arricau (Fra), Lynn Kenny (Sco)
72 Leah Hart (Aus), Louise Friberg (Swe), Martina Gillen (Irl), Anna Rawson (Aus), Rikke Rasmussen (Den), Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha), Sohvi Harkonen (Fin), Sofia Renell (Swe), Shelley McKevitt (Eng), Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa), Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor), Samantha Head (Eng), Tania Elosegui (Spa), Ludivine Kreutz (Fra), Gwladys Nocera (Fra), Caroline Grady (Eng), Anna Rossi (Ita)
73 Julie Berton (Fra), Marina Arruti (Spa), Carlie Butler (Aus), Anja Monke (Ger), Beatriz Recari (Spa), Georgina Simpson (Eng), Elisabeth Esterl (Ger), Sarah Kemp (Aus), Anna Knutsson (Swe), Morgana Robbertze (Rsa), Stefanie Michl (Aut), Nienke Nijenhuis (Nzl)
74 Laura Terebey (USA), KarenMargrethe Juul (Den), Federica Piovano (Ita), Lill Kristin Saether (Nor), Maria Verchenova (Rus), Anna Tybring (Swe), Danielle Masters (Eng), Hazel Kavanagh (Irl), Anna Temple (USA), Sophie Walker (Eng), Minea Blomqvist (Fin), Clare Queen (Sco)
75 Antonella Cvitan (Swe), AnneLise Caudal (Fra), Maria Boden (Swe), Cherie Byrnes (Aus), Marta Prieto (Spa), Claire Coughlan (Irl), Kirsty S Taylor (Eng), Natalie Claire Booth (Eng), Henrietta Brockway (Eng), Christine Hallstrom (Swe), Rosa Svahn (Fin), Jade Schaeffer (Fra), Jehanne Jail (Fra), Ellen Smets (Bel), Laurette Maritz (Rsa), Kirsty Taylor (Eng), Nuria Clau (Spa)
76 Mianne Bagger (Den), Jo Clingan (Eng), Tamara Hyett (Aus), Nicole Gergely (Aut), Tullia Calzavara (Ita), Zuzana Masinova (Cro), Frederique Seeholzer (Swi)
77 Maria Beautell (Spa), Melodie Bourdy (Fra), Mette Buus (Den), Ana B Sanchez (Spa), Natascha Fink (Aut), HannaLeena Salonen (Fin), Pia Koivuranta (Fin), Elin Ohlsson (Swe), Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den), Katy Jarochowicz (Aus), Ursula Wikstrom (Fin), Helena Alterby (Swe)
78 Satu Harju (Fin), Sara Beautell (Spa), Liza Walters (Eng), Suzanne Dickens (Eng), Carmen Alonso (Spa), Elisa Serramia (Spa), Sofia Hoglund (Fin)
79 Katie Bakken (USA), Patricia Beliard (Fra)
81 Kathryn Imrie (Sco)
83 LeeAnne Pace (Rsa)
85 Stenna Westerlund (Fin)