Danish amateur Cecilie Eggersen fired an opening round of 65 (-5) on the first day of the Allegria Stegersbach Ladies Open in Austria.
The 21-year-old began her day on the Sudburgenland of the Allegria Golf Resort well with a birdie at the first hole.
Eggersen dropped a shot on the fourth hole but then rolled in three birdies on the trot on holes seven to nine.
She added back-to-back birdies on holes 14 and 15 to sit atop of the leaderboard on five-under-par.
“I played pretty solidly,” said the LETAS rookie. “I wasn’t too safe off the tee box, but I kept it in play in the fairway. I have been striking it really well with my irons and I had a lot of wedge practice over winter which helped me out there today.
“My first birdie on the first hole, I hit a hybrid into six feet, so that was a fairly easy one to get out with. I think the greens are pretty tricky, so it was nice to get a birdie out of the box. The golf course is tricky and interesting. There are a lot of blind holes and blind spots. The greens are tricky, they’re fast and they break a lot. I like it.
“I played a few LETAS events as an amateur the past couple of years. I always love it out there, the girls are really sweet and really good to talk about what it’s like to be a pro. I enjoy getting out here.”
Austria’s Johanna Ebner is two shots further back on the leaderboard having produced a round of 67 (-3) in her homeland.
Ebner made back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes before a dropped shot on the fourth.
She made another birdie on the seventh before a bogey on nine but finished strong with a pair of birdies on 15 and 16 to sit in solo second place on three-under.
“I’m feeling good. I played some solid golf today; I made a few good shots and stayed present and felt like it was just going. There were no big mistakes, I just played solid golf,” said the Austrian rookie.
“It’s awesome! It’s special to play on Austrian soil. The drive was short only two-and-a-half hours which is short because I usually have to fly everywhere to the different tournaments.
“The people are so friendly. I like the golf course, it’s very hilly and a challenge. Also, with the wind because you don’t know where it’s coming from because of the trees. It’s a really good challenge. I like challenges and I like to compete.
“I like to aim big and have high goals. Along with the Rookie of the Year, I’d like to play on the Ladies European Tour (LET), so I’m looking for the top seven to be ranked there and earn my LET card. I feel like LETAS really prepares me well for the LET and I can’t wait to see what’s coming up for the season.”
In a packed leaderboard, eight players are one shot further back in a share for third place on two-under-par after 18 holes.
Icelandic trio Hulda Gestsdottir, Ragga Kristinsdottir and Andrea Bergsdottir sit alongside French amateur Alice Kong, Wales’ Ffion Tynan, American Hannah Gregg, Germany’s Chiara Horder and England’s Sienna Birch.
Round two will begin at 7.30 am (local time) and there will be a cut to the top 45 professionals and ties at the end of the day.
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