Friday 5 September 2014 19:54, UK
Laura Davies has Trish Johnson’s four-day-old record in her sights after making a fine start to the Helsingborg Open in Sweden.
Johnson became the oldest winner in Ladies European Tour history when she won the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open on Sunday at the age of 48.
But that record is now under threat from 50-year-old Davies, who carded an opening 69 at the Vasatorp Golf Club in Skane to lie just two strokes behind leaders Whitney Hillier and Dewi-Claire Schreefel.
"I drove it well,” said the evergreen Davies afterwards. "On number eight, the driveable par-four, I knocked it to about six feet and holed the putt for eagle which was nice.
"I missed a couple of fairways on the back nine into the wind, which is where you would miss them as downwind they were playing pretty easy. Overall it was solid.
"I'm pretty confident and playing well. I've been playing well in America and holed some putts there. I had 30 putts which for me is the benchmark on how well I do.
"If I'm going to do well it's because of how I putt. Today was a good day so that's why I had a good score."
Hillier and Schreefel fed off each other as both returned excellent five-under 67s playing in the same group.
Hillier said: "It was really nice to play with Dewi, because she pushed me all day and it was a solid group. I had 23 putts so I was very happy with that."
Schreefel added: "It definitely helps when you're in a group that's playing well. If you're in a group and no birdies fall you can get in a slip.
"It was a great round of golf with five birdies and no mistakes. I rolled the ball well."
But English teenager Charley Hull faces a tough task to make the cut after she struggled to an opening 76, while Johnson was one shot further adrift.
