Tseng and Hull share lead

Tseng: Joint leader

First-round leaderboard
GB & Ire unless stated
-4 Y Tseng (Tai)
-4 K Hull (Aus)
-3 SY Yoo (Kor)
-3 AL Caudal (Fra)
-3 B Lincicome (USA)
-3 A Yang (Kor)

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Taiwan's Yani Tseng and Australia's Katherine Hull both made eagles at the last hole to share the lead after day one of the Ricoh Women's British Open at Royal Birkdale.

Tseng enjoyed a consistent round through the first 16 holes, the 21-year-old moving to one-under-par without dropping a shot.

She then birdied the first of the closing par fives before scoring even better to overhaul a group of four players on three-under-par. Hull later joined her on four under after also making a three at the last.

The chasing group includes France's Anne-Lise Caudel, who recovered well after bogeying the first, Korea's Amy Yang and Sun Young-yoo, as well as America's Brittany Lincicome.

Lincicome also made a fine recovery, making six birdies over the balance of her round after dropping three shots on the first two holes.

American Michelle Wie matched Tseng's birdie-eagle finish to end the day on two under, where she was joined by In-Kyung Kim.

Meanwhile, England's Laura Davies and Scotland's Janice Moodie led the British charge as part of a large group of players on level par.

Solid play

Tseng, who won the Kraft Nabisco Championship in April for her second major title, is playing only her second tournament on a links course but found every green in regulation.

"I played very solid today," she said. "I hit 18 greens on this golf course, so I didn't miss any greens. I putted well.

"I feel good that I made the birdie, eagle to finish on the last two holes. The last two holes for me are very reachable."

She added: "I love links. I wish we could play more on this. It makes me think more. So that makes me feel focused on every shot."

Wie was satisfied with her performance, saying: "I think that today I was just patient out there and I'm just going to do the same tomorrow.

"I've just got to hit good shots out there and give it one shot at a time. You can't look forward, you can't look back. You have to go out there and just stay in the present and just hit each shot at a time."

Tough conditions

Davies, who has won twice on the Ladies European Tour this season at the age of 46, is confident she can stay competitive, particularly when the wind picks up - as it did on Thursday.

"The tougher it is, the better ball strikers will always come to the top, and obviously I consider myself one of the better ball strikers," Davies said.

"If it stays at that level the whole week, I think it would be a very fair test."