Sweden's Lotta Wahlin fired an opening 66 to lead by one stroke after the first round of the Dubai Ladies Masters.
Swede hits birdie trail to lead Brewerton at Emirates Golf Club
Sweden's Lotta Wahlin fired an opening 66 to lead by one stroke after the first round of the Dubai Ladies Masters.
Wahlin - whose career was disrupted in 2009 when she was diagnosed with skin cancer - posted a total of seven birdies and just a single bogey as she finished the day just ahead of Wales' Becky Brewerton.
With her father Mats on the bag, Wahlin started at the 10th and picked up shots at the 12th and 13th over the Majlis Course on a sunny day at Emirates Golf Club, before dropping a stroke on the par-four 16th.
But she respoinded by then reeling off further birdies at the second, fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth holes.
"I'm so happy," the 28-year-old said. "I finally had a good round, finally able to make all the putts. I'm just so happy."
This is Wahlin's first full year back on the tour after her illness and she admits the health scare has now given her a fresh perspective on the game.
"Golf is not so important any more," she said. "If I have a bad round, I'm still disappointed, but it's not the end of the world like it used to be."
Few expectations
Brewerton, who had few expectations after suffering from a bout of gastroenteritis in India last week, was a shot back on five under after a round including six birdies and one bogey.
"I managed to turn things around a bit from last week," the 29-year-old said. "It was just completely different.
"It's really hard to say sometimes what makes it change, but for some reason I played well, and having been struggling last week it was actually a bit of a surprise to me as well."
Finland's Minea Blomqvist, Paraguay's Julieta Granada, South Africa's Stacy Lee Bregman and Sweden's Linda Wessberg ended the first day joint third, two shots off the pace on four under after 68s.
Jaclyn Sweeney, Lee-Anne Pace Elizabeth Bennett, Christel Boeljon, Tandi Cuningham, Julie Maisongrosse, Diana Luna, Maria Verchenova and Beth Allen all fired 69s.
England's Melissa Reid carded a level-par 72 to end two shots behind American teenage sensation Alexis Thompson, while her compatriot Michelle Wie - the highest-ranked player in the field at 17th in the world - had a one-over-par 73 after what she called a "frustrating" day's work.
"I just felt like it was one of those days where nothing really went in and nothing really went my way," said Wie.
Recent winner Caroline Hedwall and Laura Davies both stumbled to rounds of 75.
