A seven-under 65 gave Michele Thomson a two-shot advantage over Anne van Dam, Yuka Saso and Jasmine Suwannapura in Scotland; watch throughout the week live for free on the Sky Sports Golf YouTube channel
Saturday 14 August 2021 00:19, UK
Michele Thomson took advantage of the best of the conditions to open up a two-shot lead on home soil after the opening round of the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open.
The Scot, going out in the fourth group of the day, was still level-par for her round with 11 holes to play at Dumbarnie Links, only to go on an incredible birdie run to post a seven-under 65 and jump top of the leaderboard.
Thomson made four straight birdies from the eighth and followed another at the 13th by taking advantage of the par-five 15th, with a final-hole gain then moving her two ahead of a three-way tie for second that includes Solheim Cup hopeful Anne van Dam.
"Probably had a little bit of a nervous start I would say," Thomson said. "It's my fourth Scottish Open now but obviously still got the nerves off the first tee and hit a bit of a ropey drive and just made bogey from there, which was fine.
"Stood up on the second tee and just restarted, hit a great drive down the middle and had 240 and just thought, I've got adrenaline here, just going to go for it and hit it on, made eagle and from there it snowballed. Hit a lot of good wedges into holes and drove well off the tee."
Five birdies in a seven-hole stretch helped Yuka Saso also get to five under, alongside Van Dam and Thailand's Jasmine Suwannapura, while Scotland's Kelsey MacDonald and Wales' Becky Morgan are both in the group within three of the lead after opening-round 68s.
A final-hole bogey dropped Charley Hull four off the pace and on three under alongside Solheim Cup team-mate Bronte Law, while Liz Young - who helped create the Rose Ladies Series - made an eagle and two birdies over her first four holes on her way to a two-under 70.
"A shame I bogeyed the last hole, but just came up a bit short," Hull said. "I like links, but I just find it hard to play in a tournament. I just love treeline-type golf courses, where links I find is very, very there in front of you. Can't really visualise it very well, but I really like this golf course."
Former world No 1 Lydia Ko is on two under with Dame Laura Davies, while Ireland's Leona Maguire opened with a one-under 71 to sit six behind, with Georgia Hall, defending champion Stacy Lewis and reigning AIG Women's Open champion Sophia Popov.
Watch the Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday from 3pm via the red button on Sky Sports Golf and - for free - on the Sky Sports Golf YouTube channel.
