SOLID START BY GEMMA IN SOUTH AMERICA

Aberdeen-born Gemma Dryburgh, runner-up in the event last year, has made a solid start t the South American women's amateur golf championship at Lima, Peru.

The Curtis Cup player and Tulane, New Orleans University student, shot a two-over-par 74 to be tied for fourth place, three shots behind the defending champion Lucia Gutierrez (Peru).

Dryburgh birdied the long 12th but bogeyed the iftyh, 11th and 18th.

Carnoustie's Jess Meek, a student at the University of Missouri and a past Scottish Under-21 champion, is in joint 13th place after a 77. Jess had an eagle 3 at the long 17th which repaired some of the damage caused by a double bogey 6 at the fifth and bogeys at the first, sixth, 10th, long 12th and 15th in halves of 40-37.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 72

71 Lucia Gutierrez (Peru)

72 Maria Fassi (Mex)

SELECTED SCORES

74 Gemma Dryburgh (Sco) (T4)

77 Jess Meek (Sco), Paula Grant (Ire) (T13).

78 Maria Dunne (Ire) (T22).

Field of 37 players.