Trish Johnson leads Ladies' Scottish Open with a 69

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

England’s Trish Johnson fired a three-under par 69 at Archerfield Links in East Lothian to take a one stroke lead over Christel Boeljon and Stacy Lee Bregman at the Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open, presented by EventScotland.

Johnson, pictured right by Andy Forman, mixed seven birdies with four bogeys on a fine first day at the 54-hole tournament. Boeljon, from the Netherlands, shot a 70 with four birdies and two bogeys on the score card and shares second with South Africa’s Bregman, who had three birdies and just one dropped shot at the fourth hole.

Johnson was partnering former footballer and BBC television pundit Alan Hansen in the pro-am format and the pair led by one stroke in the better-ball competition, combining for a total of 61, 11-under-par.
There is no cut for the 60 professionals in the field and the leading 15 amateur competitors will play the final 18 holes on Friday alongside the professionals.
Johnson, who won her 19th victory at last month’s Tenerife Ladies Open, ended the day in contention for the €30,000 first prize and her 20th career title.
“It wasn’t great today; it wasn’t how I would like to strike the ball, certainly, but I think when you’re patient as well and the shots are okay, they’re alright, then the odd good one comes along and I’m putting well, so you’re converting those and it makes a big difference,” said 44-year-old Johnson.
“There are a couple of things I’ve got to work on. I don’t feel like I an transfering my weight onto my left side at impact. Hopefully I can do a little bit of work on that, striking it how I was a couple of weeks ago, because that was good fun.”
Italians Stefania Croce and Anna Rossi tied for fourth with Australian Nikki Garrett, while Frenchwoman Virginie-Lagoutte Clement and South Korean Jeehae Lee were a stroke back in a share of seventh.

The leading Scots challenge came from Kylie Walker, Mhairi McKay, Lynn Kenny and Krystle Caithness, who all shot 73 to share ninth place with Frenchwoman Caroline Afonso.

Kenny, pictured right by Andy Forman, has an attachment to Archerfield Links but local knowledge didn’t help her challenge as she added a double bogey on the fifth to three bogeys and four bogeys. The 30-year-old from Dunblane said: “It was a bit frustrating to be honest. I didn’t hit the ball that great but I managed to get it round.”

Caithness, pictured above, left, by Andy Forman, was one under at the turn but came back in two-over par, dropping three shots over the last five holes. The 21-year-old Fifer, now based at Cupar, said: “I’m as bit gutted with the way I finished. I was two under after 11 and then messed it up: bogey, double bogey, bogey, I think, and then birdied the last. I was in good positions and I messed up.”

Walker, 23, from Glasgow, was out in 36 and back in 37. The Ladies European Tour rookie has had a nervy start to the season but feels that she just needs one solid week to keep her Tour card.

 Mhairi McKay blasts out of a bunker. Picture by Andy Forman.

McKay, who plies her trade mainly on the US Tour, was pleased with her first competitive round since tieing for 34th at the US Women’s Open last month and said: “It was very encouraging. I’ve had a bit of time off and when you don’t have a card in your hand for a while it’s nice to get out there again.”

Vikki's cold putter costs her a good opening round

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Musselburgh's Vikki Laing lamented a cold putter after being unable to capitalise on a flying start to her title bid.
The 29-year-old was two-under-par after her opening three holes on the Fidra course, having chipped in for an eagle at the 11th following her start on the back nine and then adding a birdie at the 12th, where she hit the flag with her approach.
But Laing, one of 10 Scots in a field of 60, was left to rue a missed opportunity after eventually signing for a two-over 74, the main damage being caused by a double-bogey 5 at the eighth, her penultimate hole.
"I should have scored better after the start I made," said the four-time Scottish girls' champion of an effort that left her five shots behind the first-round pacesetter, England's Trish Johnson.
"I did not putt well at all and even three-putted from 15 feet at one hole. It's frustrating as my putting had been good until the last couple of rounds in Wales last weekend."
Despite the benign conditions, Johnson, a member of the winning European Solheim Cup team at Dalmahoy in 1992, was the only player to break 70 on the D J Russell-designed course.
"I'm surprised that the scoring hasn't been better because the course isn't playing particularly long," added Laing, who was a shot behind four of her compatriots - Lynn Kenny, Mhairi McKay, Krystle Caithness and Kylie Walker - at the start of the second day.
Like most of the Scots in the field, a rare appearance on home soil saw Laing cheered on by family and friends on a day when organisers were delighted with a good turnout from Scottish fans. "That was kind of fun," said Laing. "There were a few people out there and hopefully there will be even more later in the week."
Heather MacRae, the former Gullane trainee who has now moved to Downfield, had an adventurous opening round, a 77 containing one double-bogey, seven bogeys and four birdies.

 FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD (par 72)
69 Trish Johnson (England)
70 Christel Boeljon (Golf Team Holland), Stacy Lee Bregman (South Africa).
71 Stefania Croce (Italy), Anna Rossi (Italy), Nikki Garrett (Australia).
72 Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (France), Jeehae Lee (South Korea).
73 Kylie Walker (The Carrick on Loch Lomond), Caroline Afonso (France), Mhairi McKay (Aberdeen Asset Management), Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links),
Krystle Caithness (Scotland).
74 Becky Brewerton (Wales), Stefanie Michl (Austria), Caroline Masson (Germany), Vikki Laing (Kings Acre Golf Academy), Lisa Hall (England), Pamela Feggans (Scotland), Maria Boden (Sweden), Karen Lunn (Australia).
75 Anne-Lise Caudal (France), Georgina Simpson (England), Rebecca Hudson (England), Elizabeth Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor GC), Felicity Johnson (Harborne GC), Sophie Walker (England), Dana Lacey-Johnson (Australia),
Rebecca Coakley (Team Ireland), Kathryn Imrie (Scotland), Frances Bondad (Australia).
76 Kate Combes (Australia), Ana Larraneta (Spain), Hannah Jun (US), Hanna-Leena Salonen (Finland), Jessica Ji (South Korea), Veronica Zorzi (Italy), Lee-Anne Pace (South Africa), Lydia Hall (Wales), Beth Allen (US).
77 Carly Booth (Nike), Heather MacRae (Downfield), Claire Aitken (England),
Ashleigh Simon (South Africa), Martina Gillen (Team Ireland Golf), Cassandra Kirkland (France).
78 Laurette Maritz (South Africa), Breanne Loucks (Wales), Bettina Hauert (Germany), Josefin Leijon (Sweden).
79 Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spain).
80 Ludivine Kreutz (France), Tandi Cuningham (South Africa).
81 Clare Queen (The Carrick on Loch Lomond).
82 Morgana Robbertze (South Africa), Margherita Rigon (Italy), Titiya Plucksataporn (Thailand).
83 Jenni Kuosa (Finland).
85 Hannah Ralph (Cowdray Park GC).
87 Camille Fallay (France).
+Official tour scoring from the Ladies European Tour website