TRIO SHARE LEAD ON FIVE-UNDER 67 AT DUBAI MASTERS

                                MIREIA PRAT, joint leader in Dubai 

NEWS RELEASE FROM LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
REPORT FROM BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager

DUBAI: Spanish pair Carlota Ciganda and Mireia Prat shared the first-round lead with Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters after a trio of five-under-par 67s at Emirates Golf Club as defending champion Shanshan Feng suffered a disappointing opening round.

Fresh from winning the LPGA Titleholders championship, World No. 4 Feng mixed five bogeys with one birdie  in her four-over 76.

Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand was solo fourth, just one stroke behind the leaders, with Germany’s Solheim Cup star Caroline Masson alone in fifth on three-under-par.

World No. 3 Stacy Lewis of the US, who is making her first appearance in Dubai, kept herself in the frame as one of seven players in a share of sixth on two-under 70 along with English pair Charley Hull and Laura Davies.

Hull was riding high at four-under-par with a hole to play, but four-putted on the 18^th green. Darkness called an early halt to the first round on a day when early fog led to a 30min delay to the start of the play.

Prat, 24, from Barcelona, won the LET Access Series Order of Merit last week earning her full card for the 2014 LET and feels relaxed, as though her first visit to Dubai is a prize.

The second year LET member had five birdies and said: “I putted really well. I think I missed three shots and I recovered very well to make par so I’m very happy.

“I know I have my full card for next year and it was my goal for this year, so I think there is no pressure here and maybe that’s the key. I was very confident at the start and played very well and was relaxed. It’s the first day of a four day tournament so I’m going to keep focused and do things like I did today and we’ll see what happens.”

Rated as one of the favourites, Lewis drove the ball well, but felt whatever she did right was derailed once she got on the greens. 
“It was a bit frustrating out there. I hit the ball well, but just couldn’t make any putts. I think the longest putt I made was six or seven feet. My speed was a little off on the greens.

 “I feel like the course is playing hard enough that no-one’s going to run away and shoot a great score. The greens are firm and fast and you’ve got to play smart. I feel like I’m still in it. We’ve got three more days and if I can make some putts I’ll be there.”

Two groups, containing six players, will finish their first rounds at 7.10am on Thursday morning while tee times for the second round are unchanged.

  COMPLETED FIRST-ROUND SCORES
   Par 72

67 Pernilla Lindberg (SWE) , Carlota Ciganda (ESP) , Mireia Prat (ESP)

68 Pornanong Phatlum (THA)

69 Caroline Masson (GER)

70 Stacy Lewis (USA) , Charley Hull (ENG) , Valentine Derrey (FRA) , Sarah Kemp (AUS) , Laura Davies (ENG) , Patcharajutar Kongkraphan (THA) , Maria Balikoeva (RUS)

71 Thidapa Suwannapura (THA) , Beth Allen (USA) , Gwladys Nocera (FRA) , Noora Tamminen (FIN) , Vikki Laing (SCO) , Pamela Pretswell (SCO) , Sophie Giquel-bettan (FRA) , Caroline Afonso (FRA) , Bonita Bredenhann (NAM)

72 Louise Larsson (SWE) , Maria Hjorth (SWE) , Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) , Liz Young (ENG) , Mikaela Parmlid (SWE) , Linda Wessberg (SWE)

73 Cassandra Kirkland (FRA) , Elisabeth Esterl (GER) , Bree Arthur (AUS) , Camilla Lennarth (SWE) , Nontaya Srisawang (THA) , Ursula Wikstrom (FIN) , Henni Zuel (ENG) , Katie Burnett (USA) , Titiya Plucksataporn (THA) , Minea Blomqvist (FIN) , Margherita Rigon (ITA), Cindy Lacrosse (USA), Diana Luna (ITA), Sophie Gustafson (SWE) , Trish Johnson (ENG) , Malene Jorgensen (DEN)

74 Becky Brewerton (WAL), Julia Davidsson (SWE), Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA), Eleanor Givens (ENG), Connie Chen (RSA), Sahra Hassan (WAL), Emily Taylor (ENG), Nikki Campbell (AUS), Sophie Walker (ENG), Marion Ricordeau (FRA), Klara Spilkova (CZE), Becky Morgan (WAL), Tandi Von Ruben (RSA)

75 Marjet Van Der Graaff (NED) , Veronica Zorzi (ITA) , Holly Clyburn (ENG) , Celine Herbin (FRA) , Holly Aitchison (ENG) , Rebecca Codd (IRL) , Melodie Bourdy (FRA) , Maha Haddioui (MAR) , Kylie Walker (SCO) , Amelia Lewis (USA) , Jing Yan (CHN) , Alison Whitaker (AUS) , Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) , Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER)

76 Maria Salinas (PER) , Julie Greciet (FRA) , Shanshan Feng (CHN) , Alexandra Vilatte (FRA) , Laura Jansone (LVA) , Lucie Andre (FRA) , Whitney Hillier (AUS)

77 Elina Nummenpaa (FIN) , Lydia Hall (WAL) , Danielle Montgomery (ENG) , Steffi Kirchmayr (GER) , Hannah Burke (ENG) , Rebecca Hudson (ENG) , Hannah Jun (USA)

78 Nikki Garrett (AUS) , Georgina Simpson (ENG) , Carin Koch (SWE)

79 Felicity Johnson (ENG) , Laurette Maritz (RSA) , Sharmila Nicollet (IND) , Florentyna Parker (ENG) , Benedikte Grotvedt (NOR)

80 Mallory Fraiche (USA) , Tara Davies (WAL) , Jade Schaeffer (FRA) , Melissa Reid (ENG)

81 Virginia Espejo (ESP) , Anais Maggetti (SUI)

82 Paula Hurtado (COL)

92 Julia Alhemoud (KWT)

RTD - Sophie Sandolo (ITA)

WD - Tania Elosegui (ESP)

E: bethan.cutler@ladieseuropeantour.com