Linda Henriksson
Finland’s Linda Henriksson and Swede Anjelika Hammar both shot opening 66’s to lead after the first round of the Women’s Bank Open at Hill Side Golf Course, near Helsinki.
Both players, teeing off in the afternoon, enjoyed the best of the conditions, as the northwesterly breeze petered out during the day.
Henriksson teed off the tenth and got off to a flying start, with an eagle on the 485-yard par five 11th. The Finn combined three birdies with two bogeys over the last five holes of her back nine to be out in 33 shots, with further birdies on the 1st and 2nd holes, for a 5 under par total.
Hammar, teeing off in the final group of the day, picked up birdies on the 384-yard par four 2nd hole, with another birdie dropping on the par five 6th. Three birdies in the first four holes of Hammar’s back nine gave the young player matching nines of 33 for an impressive 66.
A further shot back on 3 under par is plus three handicapper, German amateur Nina Holleder. A stretch of four birdies in a row from the 10th gave the German player an opening 67.
In a tie for fourth place are seventeen-year-old Finnish amateur, Mathilda Castren and Norway’s Cecilie Lundgreen who both shot 68. Castren, who lives just half an hour away from the Hill Side Golf Course, is determined not to put too much pressure on herself this week and plans to enjoy the experience of competing against the professionals.
Second round tee times start at 8am on Friday morning from both the 1st and 10th tees.
