India’s Smriti Mehra, Rhea Nair and Sharmila Nicollet made a good start at the Ladies European Tour (LET) Golf Pre-Qualifying School for the 2012 season.
Veteran and seasoned Smriti fired a two-over 75 on the par-73 South Course at the La Manga Golf Resort and was placed tied 22nd at the end of the first day. Also tied in 22nd place at the same course was the Dubai-based Rhea Nair (75). They were six behind the leaders.
Sharmila Nicollet, the only Indian playing her first round on the par-71 North Course, carded a creditable three-over 74 to be tied 29th and was seven shots behind the leader.
The other Indians in Group B at South Course, Neha Tripathi (81) and Nalini Singh Siwach (82) had a tough time.
The Pre-Qualifying have been split into Group A and B with top 35 and ties in both groups going through to the 90-hole Final Stage, where they will be a cut for leading 50 and ties after 72 holes. After the final round, the top 30 players will be eligible for Membership to the main LET Tour.
Smriti, a former LPGA player, had a bogey on the first and then after a steady streak of pars, she birdied the eighth. But a bogey on the ninth and a double bogey on 11th set her back. She got back one shot on the 15th to end at two-over.
Rhea had four birdies and four bogeys and a double bogey on par-5 12th.
Sharmila bogeyed the first, but birdied the second. Then she had eight pars, before back-to-back bogeys spoilt her card. She birdied the 14th, but bogeys on 14th and 16th saw her finish the day at 74.
The leader on South Course were Chrisje de Vries of the Netherlands and England’s Anna Scott who brought in opening rounds of four under par 69, while the leader on North Course was Valentine Derrey of France, who shot four-under 67.
A total of 211 players from 44 countries have entered LET Qualifying School, to be played over two stages with the Pre-Qualifying from Jan 8-11, followed by Final Qualifying from Jan 15-19.
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