AMERICAN UIHLEIN MOVES A SHOT CLEAR IN SPANISH OPEN

REPORT BY EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Former US Amateur Champion Peter Uihlein made a late charge to the top of the leaderboard on the second day of the Open de España as a four under par 68 moved him one shot clear of the chasing pack.

The in-form American rallied towards the end of his round with birdies at the 14^th, 15^th and 17^th , after reaching the turn in two under before dropping a shot on the 10^th, and enters the weekend on seven under par.

The Massachusetts native – whose father Walter is the CEO of major golf equipment company Acushnet – has been in stunning form thus far in 2013.

The 23 year old finished in the top five in his last European Tour appearance at the Tshwane Open in March, followed seven days later by a top ten at the Puerto Rico Open on the US PGA Tour. He is now in pole position for a first win in Europe at Parador de El Saler, having played a full season on the Challenge Tour, as well as six events on The European Tour, in 2012.

“Leading a tournament is fun,” he said. “I have been close a couple of times after two rounds, so it’s nice to have the lead and be able to see how I do. It's all part of the learning process, and the more I do it the more comfortable I'll feel.

“I tried to plot my way around and my irons have been good, so I was able to do that. It’s nice to play a course like this now and then, where distance isn’t a premium and you have to think your way around. It’s nice to play a course where a couple under par is a good score. I think courses that make you think are actually more fun.”

One shot back from Uihlein were Chile’s Filipe Aguilar, Frenchman Rafaël Jacquelin and Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg, who could have entered the weekend’s play a shot clear but for back to back bogeys in his final two holes.

The 26 year old got off to a stunning start, with a birdie at the first followed by an eagle two at the par four second before dropping two more shots to clear the opening four holes in five under par.

In favourable afternoon conditions, Karlberg built on that start by gaining shots at the par five 11th and the par four 14^th before two dropped shots left him in tied second place.

“It has been a long time since I’ve had a good start and this was an excellent one,” said the Gothenburg man. “I hit some great shots and I was lucky enough to sink my second for eagle on the second hole and just kept on going from there. Unfortunately, it was not the best finish but I’m still very happy with my round.”

Local favourite Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, meanwhile, could not build on his strong start on home soil as the 32 year old carded a one over par second round 73, leaving him in tied 14^th on two under par alongside compatriot and former Challenge Tour Number One Alvaro Velasco, amongst others.

“I didn’t play as well as yesterday but overall I’m in a good position for the weekend,” said the six-time European Tour winner. “I didn't blow it away but I still think I have a chance to put myself into contention over the weekend.”

HALFWAY TOTALS

138 P Uihlein  (USA) 70 68

139 R Jacquelin (Fra) 73 66, R Karlberg  (Swe) 72 67, F Aguilar (Chi) 68 71

140 M Madsen  (Den) 68 72, M Warren (Sco) 70 70, E Pepperell (Eng) 70 70, A Hartø  (Den) 73 67, C Lee (Sco) 69 71

141 T Fleetwood  (Eng) 72 69, D Howell (Eng) 70 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 73 68, L Jensen (Den) 71 70

142 A Velasco (Esp) 71 71, M Tullo (Chi) 71 71, G Fernandez-Castaño  (Esp) 69 73, J Quesne  (Fra) 72 70, P Casey  (Eng) 72 70, P Waring  (Eng) 71 71, R Derksen (Ned) 69 73, M Delpodio  (Ita) 73 69

143 E Kofstad (Nor) 71 72, E Molinari  (Ita) 70 73, I Garrido (Esp) 72 71, A Hansen (Den) 72 71, N Elvira  (Esp) 71 72, R Finch  (Eng) 70 73, C Aguilar  (Esp) 71 72, M Kieffer (Ger) 75 68,

144 S Lowry  (Irl) 78 66, D Brooks (Eng) 69 75, C Macaulay  (Sco) 73 71, M Lampert (Ger) 76 68, P Price (Wal) 70 74, J Lara (Esp) 70 74, A Cañizares  (Esp) 71 73, D Higgins (Irl) 69 75, R Gonzalez (Arg) 74 70, S Hansen (Den) 74 70, M Korhonen (Fin) 71 73, V Dubuisson  (Fra) 74 70, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 73 71,

145 S Garcia  (Esp) 72 73, G Maybin (Nir) 74 71, R Davies (Wal) 73 72, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 72 73, T Van Der Walt (RSA) 73 72, J Sjöholm (Swe) 69 76, R Green (Aus) 73 72, J Morrison  (Eng) 72 73, D Drysdale (Sco) 73 72, D Horsey (Eng) 71 74, E De La Riva  (Esp) 72 73, M Carlsson  (Swe) 70 75, S Little (Eng) 73 72, K Ferrie (Eng) 72 73, G Bourdy (Fra) 72 73, J Lagergren (Swe) 69 76, P Lawrie (Irl) 71 74, J Sandelin (Swe) 74 71,

146 G Stal  (Fra) 68 78, A Forsyth (Sco) 76 70, J Gonnet  (Fra) 73 73, S Benson (Eng) 74 72, C Cévaër (Fra) 76 70, E Grillo (Arg) 74 72, L Slattery (Eng) 75 71, G Cambis  (Fra) 77 69, M Manassero (Ita) 78 68, M Nixon (Eng) 74 72, A Marshall (Eng) 72 74, P Oriol (Esp) 71 75, J Luiten (Ned) 74 72,

 

MISSED THE CUT

 

147 C Paisley  (Eng) 74 73, S Wakefield (Eng) 70 77, C Lloyd (Eng) 77 70, P Whiteford (Sco) 74 73, A Sullivan (Eng) 72 75, P Erofejeff (Fin) 75 72, J Walters (RSA) 71 76, A Levy (Fra) 71 76, G Havret  (Fra) 76 71, F Andersson Hed (Swe) 72 75, M Zions (Aus) 73 74, J Parry (Eng) 76 71, J Campillo (Esp) 72 75, R Coles (Eng) 71 76, A Domingo (Esp) 72 75, R Wattel  (Fra) 73 74, J Edfors (Swe) 74 73, D McGrane (Irl) 75 72,

148 O Fisher  (Eng) 73 75, S Dyson  (Eng) 74 74, M Lafeber (Ned) 76 72, S Arnold  (Aus) 74 74, M Southgate  (Eng) 69 79, M Brier (Aut) 75 73, J Colomo  (Esp) 71 77, L Gagli  (Ita) 78 70, A Otaegui  (Esp) 72 76, J Legarrea (Esp) 78 70, P Hedblom (Swe) 71 77, S Kjeldsen (Den) 77 71,

149 A Snobeck  (Fra) 70 79, M Foster (Eng) 80 69, J Kruger (RSA) 76 73, R Santos  (Por) 71 78, O Floren  (Swe) 75 74, K Broberg (Swe) 74 75, R McEvoy  (Eng) 75 74, B Åkesson (Swe) 75 74, R Rock (Eng) 72 77, B Etchart  (Esp) 77 72, E Goya (Arg) 77 72,

150 C Doak (Sco) 76 74, B Dredge (Wal) 77 73, R Bland (Eng) 74 76, M Jiménez (Esp) 76 74, P Martin Benavides (Esp) 75 75, A Quiros  (Esp) 76 74, T Levet (Fra) 80 70, J Sarasti (am) (Esp) 75 75,

151 A Tadini (Ita) 75 76, M Lundberg (Swe) 74 77, M Hoey  (Nir) 75 76, J Garcia  (Esp) 74 77, A Dodt (Aus) 77 74, S Henry  (Sco) 75 76, P Larrazábal (Esp) 77 74, F Molinari (Ita) 75 76,

152 S Webster (Eng) 74 78, S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 73 79, M Wiegele  (Aut) 80 72, F Zanotti (Par) 77 75, C Pigem (Esp) 77 75, T Lewis (Eng) 74 78, A Ferrer (am) (Esp) 76 76,

153 J Elson  (Eng) 80 73,

155 M Campbell (Nzl) 77 78, J Olazábal (Esp) 76 79, J Hansen  (Den) 74 81, G Piris Mateu (Esp) 76 79, J Bondia (am) (Esp) 79 76,

156 C Del Moral (Esp) 77 79,

157 N Fasth (Swe) 76 81,

158 G Lockerbie  (Eng) 80 78, M Jonzon (Swe) 80 78, G Storm  (Eng) 79 79, R Whitson (am) (Nir) 81 77, B Virto (am) (Esp) 82 76,

159 J Busby (Eng) 75 84,

160 D Gaunt (Aus) 82 78, O Wilson (Eng) 79 81,

161 G Boyd  (Eng) 83 78, A Kaleka  (Fra) 79 82, J Simon De Miguel (am) (Esp) 77 84,

 

FROM  EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

LAURA MURRAY WINS PAUL LAWRIE EVENT AT RATHO PARK

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Alford's Laura Murray won the £750 first prize at Ratho Park Golf Club, Edinburgh today in the second event on the new Paul Lawrie Scottish Ladies Open Tour. A two-over-par 72, with halves of three-over 38 and one-under 34 saw last year's Scottish women's amateur champion, who, rather appropriately is attached to the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre, head a field of 26 players by a single shot. Laura, who developed her length off the tee by playing alongside men on the North-east Alliance winter circuit, had birdies at the first and 11th on the white tee course (5960yd) normally played by the Ratho Park male members with the exception that tournament director Nicola Melville deemed the 14th a par-5 instead of a par 4 for the men. Laura survived a mid-round wobble - a double bogey 6 at the ninth - but that second birdie two holes later settled her  again.  Laura Murray has been a member of Team Paul Lawrie for several years. She also won the St Rule Trophy for a second time at St Andrews in her last year as an amateur. Following the example of Chrisje De Vries, this is Miss Murray's first win as a professional. She is also sponsored by Saltire Energy. Four players tied for second place, a shot behind on 73,  including amateurs Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), 37-36, and Jess Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) 35-38.  Meek, 18, finished joint second in Thursday's opener and is obviously in a rich seam of form. She leaves in August to enrol at the University of Missouri. Also on the 73 mark were professionals Fabienne In-Albon from Switzerland with halves of 37-36, and the opening-day winner from Amsterdam, Chrisje De Vries (37-36). The tour takes a break now untl next month, resuming at Trump International Links (Saltire Energy Classic 1) 12 miles up the coast from Aberdeen on May 6 and Deeside Golf Club (Saltire Energy Classic 2) on May 7. Deeside is on the western suburbs of Aberdeen at the village of Bieldside. The combined scores from these two events will be classed as the Saltire Energy Championship and there will be prizes for the best four of five 36-hole totals.  PAUL LAWRIE SCOTTISH LADIES OPEN TOUR  - Event No 2  Ratho Park GC, Edinburgh  FINAL TOTALS  Par 70 (35-35) 72 Laura Murray (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 38-34. 73 Fabienne In-Albon (Swi) 37-36, Chrisje de Vries (Net) 37-36, Jess Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) (am), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) (am) 37-36. 74 Tatiana Kernen (Swi) 38-36. 76 Julie Otto (Elie Sports Club) 39-37, Heather Stirling (Dairsie) 39-37, Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) 41-35, Jane Turner (Craigielaw) (am) 40-36. 77 Daisy Dyer (Chigwell) 39-38, Krystle Falkner (St Andrews) 40-37, Eleanor Givens (Darlington) 39-38, Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 39-38.  78 Gemma Webster (Elie Sports Club) 40-38, Martine Pow (Selkirk) 41-37, Jess Wilcox (Blankney) (am) 41-37. 79 Michele Thomson (Ellon) 42-37. 80 Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co) (am) 40-40. 81 Nichola Ferguson (Milngavie) 41-40, Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) (am) 40-41, Lisa Shervill (West Kilbride) 42-39. 82 Karyn Burns (Glasgow Golf Centre) 43-39. 87 Tara MacTaggart (Minto) (am) 47-40. 89 Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) (am) 47-72, Kimberley Crooks (Middlesbrough) 43-46. \ ORDER OF MERIT  POINTS TOTALS AFTER RATHO PARK 1 C De Vries           1675    2  L Murray             1374    3  J Meek                1350    4  V Laing               1075    5  F In-Albon            980    6  J Wilcox               965    7  A McKechin         955    8  E Givens              925    . 9  T Kernen              924    10 D Dyer                875    11 H Stirling             799    11 J Turner              799    . 13 L Shervill            740    14 H MacRae          729    16 K Falkner           699    17 M Pow              555    18 K McIntosh       545    19 G Webster         540    20 T MacTaggart    515    21 M Thomson      510    22 R Walker           485    23 N Ferguson       465    24 K Crooks          455    25 J Otto                425    26 H Scott              390    27 K Burns             220    28 L Harvey           205    29 A Bain               205

ENGLISHMAN BRIAN DAVIS LEADS IN US PGA TOUR EVENT

                                                       FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

England's Brian Davis (pictured) tops the standings after the first round of the RBC Heritage - the same US PGA Tour event where he penalised himself in a sudden death play-off in 2010.
Three years ago, Davis' 72nd hole birdie ensured he pulled level with American Jim Furyk, but he was given a two shot penalty in the play-off by US PGA Tour officials after informing them he had touched a loose impediment with his club during his swing.
The 38 year old is still looking for his first US PGA Tour title, but he started magnificently with an opening six under par 65 for a one shot lead in South Carolina today.
"It's good in this game to have a short memory, good or bad," Davis said.
"I still have people stop me in the street or at the golf club or at airports. People do remember (the penalty), but for me I'm just trying to move on from that and trying to win a golf tournament."
Davis - who has two European Tour titles, the last of which came in 2004 - came to life after bogeying the par three fourth.
He bounced back at the next hole and chipped in at the sixth for another birdie before picking up further shots in four of his next five holes.
While he then bogeyed the 12th, another two birdies put him out in front.
"It's one of those things, next hole I left myself an easy, easy chip and I played great golf after that," he added.
"I was just playing golf. I wasn't worried about my score or about my misses, I was just playing.
"Whenever you get that feeling, it's always a great feeling to have because it's enjoyable. When you're worrying about where you don't want to hit it, which around this course you have to, it can weigh you down."
American pair Kevin Streelman and Charley Hoffman are one shot further back after carding opening five under par rounds, while Jason Day and Marc Leishman continued their good form from last week's Masters.
Australia's Day finished third at Augusta last week and could perhaps have counted himself unlucky to miss out on a play-off with eventual champion Adam Scott and runner-up Angel Cabrera.
But he showed no signs of fatigue with an unblemished four under par 67 at the Harbour Town Golf Links course.
The 25 year old started on the back nine and picked up birdies on the 12th and par five 15th before boosting his standing at the fifth and sixth holes.
"Playing last week it felt like there was pressure the whole week," said Day. "Coming into this week it's pretty laid back, but it is a Tour event and I want to do well."
Day's 67 left him alongside Johnson Wagner of America and compatriot Leishman, who was in a tie for fourth at the first Major of the year and also started on the back nine today.
His was also a bogey-free round with birdies at the first, fifth, eighth and 13th holes.
"I'm working hard to not have that letdown," said Leishman. "I've got two weeks off after this week. I'm planning on being in contention all week, and then really enjoying my two weeks off."
Last year's US Open Champion Webb Simpson is one of 15 players in a tie for seventh on three under par.
World Number Six Luke Donald and 2010 US PGA Champion Martin Kaymer - both of whom represented Europe in the Ryder Cup last year - carded 69s, while Furyk was among those on one under.

GONZALO LEADS HOME CHARGE IN SPANISH OPEN

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño continued his fine form from last week’s Masters Tournament to lead the home charge at the Open de España after an opening 69 left him just one shot off the first round lead.

 

After finishing in the top 20 at Augusta National last week, Castaño made the trip to the beautiful Parador El Saler course in Valencia to post a three under par opening round and leave himself trailing early leaders Felipe Aguilar of Chile, Denmark’s Morten Ørum Madsen and Frenchman Gary Stal by a single stroke.

 

“I think three under is a great start,” said Castaño. “I played some steady golf and got a couple of lucky breaks when I needed them and I holed some nice putts.

 

“This course is second to none, one of my favourites in the world. I think the Spanish Federation alongside with Reale Seguros is doing a great job in moving the Spanish Open around the best courses in the country and this stop was very much obliged. It’s good to be back on the European Tour, this is my home tour, and, of course, it's nice to be back in Spain.

 

“I have to say that what I did last week is starting to sink in now. I was very disappointed at the end of the week because I really believed I had a chance to do something special because of the way I hit the ball. But my short game wasn’t half as good as it should have been. But now I am realizing that I played a pretty good tournament and I am also learning from the experience for the next time I go to Augusta National.”

 

Castaño is joined by seven other players on three under on a severely congested leaderboard that features no less than 40 players within four shots of each other.

 

Just outside that top 40 lies pre-tournament favourite and World Number 13, Sergio Garcia, who carded a level par 72 at El Saler.

 

“It was a pretty flat round to be honest,” said Garcia, who led last week’s Masters after round one and eventually finished the week in a tie for eighth place.

 

“We had very little wind but the greens are firm and it was not so easy to get it close. And, obviously, you are in trouble if you don’t hit fairways. I had a decent start and should have been three or four under but I made a lousy double on the fourth and after that I found myself fighting to save pars instead of making birdies.”

 

First round scores:

 

68 M Madsen  (Den); F Aguilar (Chi); G Stal  (Fra);

69 D Higgins (Irl); D Brooks (Eng); M Southgate  (Eng); J Sjöholm (Swe); G Fdez-Castaño  (Esp); R Derksen (Ned); J Lagergren (Swe); C Lee (Sco);

70 M Carlsson  (Swe); P Price (Wal); D Howell (Eng); M Warren (Sco); E Pepperell (Eng); S Wakefield (Eng); J Lara (Esp); E Molinari  (Ita); A Snobeck  (Fra); R Finch  (Eng); P Uihlein  (USA);

71 J Walters (RSA); P Oriol (Esp); C Aguilar  (Esp); M Tullo (Chi); N Elvira  (Esp); L Jensen (Den); P Hedblom (Swe); R Santos  (Por); A Cañizares  (Esp); P Lawrie (Irl); D Horsey (Eng); A Velasco (Esp); E Kofstad (Nor); M Korhonen (Fin); R Coles (Eng); A Levy (Fra); J Colomo  (Esp); P Waring  (Eng);

72 E De La Riva  (Esp); J Quesne  (Fra); R Rock (Eng); J Campillo (Esp); R Karlberg  (Swe); I Garrido (Esp); R Cabrera-Bello (Esp); A Otaegui  (Esp); A Sullivan (Eng); A Hansen (Den); P Casey  (Eng); S Garcia  (Esp); F Andersson Hed (Swe); A Domingo (Esp); J Morrison  (Eng); G Bourdy (Fra); K Ferrie (Eng); T Fleetwood  (Eng); A Marshall (Eng);

73 S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp); M Delpodio  (Ita); R Green (Aus); J Gonnet  (Fra); T Van Der Walt (RSA); A Hartø  (Den); M Baldwin (Eng); S Little (Eng); M Zions (Aus); O Fisher  (Eng); R Jacquelin (Fra); C Macaulay  (Sco); R Davies (Wal); J Garcia Pinto (Esp); R Wattel  (Fra); D Drysdale (Sco);

74 S Benson (Eng); S Webster (Eng); J Edfors (Swe); E Grillo (Arg); M Nixon (Eng); G Maybin (Nir); J Hansen  (Den); C Paisley  (Eng); S Hansen (Den); M Lundberg (Swe); P Whiteford (Sco); T Lewis (Eng); S Arnold  (Aus); R Gonzalez (Arg); R Bland (Eng); J Luiten (Ned); S Dyson  (Eng); K Broberg (Swe); V Dubuisson  (Fra); J Garcia  (Esp); J Sandelin (Swe);

75 M Brier (Aut); R McEvoy  (Eng); S Henry  (Sco); O Floren  (Swe); B Åkesson (Swe); M Kieffer (Ger); P Erofejeff (Fin); M Hoey  (Nir); J Busby (Eng); F Molinari (Ita); P Martin Benavides (Esp); A Tadini (Ita); L Slattery (Eng); D McGrane (Irl); J Sarasti (am) (Esp);

76 C Cévaër (Fra); N Fasth (Swe); A Forsyth (Sco); C Doak (Sco); J Olazábal (Esp); J Kruger (RSA); A Quiros  (Esp); G Piris Mateu (Esp); M Lafeber (Ned); G Havret  (Fra); J Parry (Eng); M Lampert (Ger); M Jiménez (Esp); A Ferrer (am) (Esp);

77 C Lloyd (Eng); P Larrazábal (Esp); C Del Moral (Esp); A Dodt (Aus); E Goya (Arg); B Etchart  (Esp); C Pigem (Esp); F Zanotti (Par); M Campbell (Nzl); G Cambis  (Fra); S Kjeldsen (Den); B Dredge (Wal); J Simon De Miguel (am) (Esp);

78 M Manassero (Ita); L Gagli  (Ita); J Legarrea (Esp); S Lowry  (Irl);

79 O Wilson (Eng); G Storm  (Eng); A Kaleka  (Fra); J Bondia (am) (Esp);

80 M Jonzon (Swe); G Lockerbie  (Eng); M Foster (Eng); T Levet (Fra); J Elson  (Eng); M Wiegele  (Aut);

81 R Whitson (am) (Nir);

82 D Gaunt (Aus); B Virto (am) (Esp);

83 G Boyd  (Eng);

ENDS

 

FLYING DUTCHGIRL CHRISJE PIPS VIKKI LAING FOR FIRST PRO WIN AT PAUL LAWRIE LADIES TOUR OPENER

          Chrisje De Vries ... First victory in two years as a pro. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com 
Chrisje De Vries, a 25-year-old from Amsterdam, was the Flying Dutchgirl of the opening event of the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Scottish Ladies Open Tour on a sometimes wet but almost always very windy day over the Marriott Dalmahoy East Course in Edinburgh.

The Forth Road Bridge is not all that far away - and it was closed to high-sided vehicles which gives an indication of the strength of the wind.
With the clubhouse awash with horror stories of umpteen putts and other misfortunes on a sodden course, Chrisje stunned the early finishers by returning a two-under-par 72 (36-36) - and she had never played the course before!
"It was closed when we arrived for a practice round on Wednesday so I just walked the 18 holes instead," said De Vries who won just about every amateur title available to her in Holland before she turned pro two years ago.
"This is my very first win as a pro. I lost b
my Ladies European Tour card last year so perhaps this is going to be the year when my luck as a pro changes.
"I started with nine pars today, missing only one green in regulation but I was able to pitch and putt for par, so it was a pretty straightforward to that point. Then I birdied the long10th (on in 2 with a five-iron second) and 11th (8 iron approach to 6ft) downwind and I knew I was going to have a good round.
"I didn't get close to winning the car prize for a hole in one at the 17th but you can't have everything."
Chrisje won the £750 top prize with £400 going to runner-up Vikki Laing, 32, from Musselburgh, among the last group to finish when the wind had abated slightly. 
In compiling a one-under-par 73, Vikki was out in two-under-par 34, the best of the day with birdies at the third and sixth where she holed putts of 25 and 15ft respectively.
But bogeys at the 11th and 12th and a couple of three putts saw her finish on 73. The three stabs at the long 16th were particularly galling as she had got home in two and three-putted for a par!
There were fears that the amateurs might be shut out of the prize list by professionals but this did not prove to be the case.
There were outstanding performances from Carnoustie Ladies teenager Jessica Meek and Jess Wilcox from Blankeney, Lincolnshire tied for third place overall on 76.
Jessica, winner of the SLGA Girls Order of Merit last year and bound for the Univesity of Missouri in August, was through the back of the green downwind in two shots at two long holes after the turn, the 10th and 16th, but she was able to pitch-and-putt for birdie 4s. She missed a 6ft putt for a birdie at the par-5 18th.
In fact 18-year-old Miss Meek played the par-5s rather well as she opened her round with a pitch-and-putt 4 at the long first hole.
Jess Wilcox did her best work on the outward half which she covered in one-over 37, coming back in one-over 39.
Former Scottish champion and Curtis Cup player Heather Stirling played her first competitive round for six years so was not unhappy to return an 80 in the adverse conditions.
Heather makes a living caddieing in Florida during the winter over in the States and then returns to Scotland to caddie at St Andrews from her Fife base at Darsie.
"I had never played Dalmahoy previously so, all in all, it was a satisfactory comeback," said Heather.
The other Heather in the field - Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) had 40 putts in an 81. Heather was responsible for winner Chrisje de Vries coming over for the start of the Paul Lawrie Tour so she can claim some credit for her Dutch friend's success.
Playing in the same group - the first off the tee - was late entry Kate McIntosh, a Broomieknowe amateur. Kate was several shots ahead of her pro partners when she reached the turn in 38 but she ran up an 8 at the 14th in an inward 43 for 81.
Most players struggled on the wet, slow greens. None more so than last year's Scottish champion, Laura Murray from Alford, who also won the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews last year.
"I hit 16 greens in regulation and finished with an 80 so you can guess how many putts I had," said Laura, who plays out of the Tour sponsors, Paul Lawrie Golf Centre.
"I had four putts for a double-bogey 6 at the fifth but did hole a 15-footer for a birdie 3 at the sixth and I also got birdie 4s downwind at the long 10th (on in 2 with a nine iron) and 16th (on in 2 with an eight iron but I had three putts for my second double bogey 6 of the day, at the 15th."
Young amateurs Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) and Tara MacTaggart (Minto), who finished jut outside the main prize list with 81s, received a dozen Titleist Pro V1 balls each from leading law firm Burness Paull and Williamsons as a special reward for their performance in the opening event, encouraging them to make that little bit of improvement next time on the PLGC SLOT

PAUL LAWRIE GOLF CENTRE SCOTTISH LADIES
OPEN TOUR -EVENT No. 1
Marriott Dalmahoy East Course, Edinburgh
FINAL TOTALS
Par 74 (36-38)
72 Chrisje De Vries (Netherlands) 36-36 (£750)
73 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 34-39 (£400)
76 Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) (am) 40-36, Jess Wilcox (Blankney) (am) 37-39 (Amateur vouchers to the value of £325 each).
77 Eleanor Givens (Darlington) 39-38 (£250)
78 Daisy Dyer (Chigwell) 37-41 (£200).
79 Lisa Shervill (West Kilbride) 39-40 (£150).
80 Heather Stirling (Darsie, Fife) 40-40, Laura Murray (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 40-40, Tatania Kernen (Switzerland) 42-38, Krystle Falkner (St Andrews) 39-41 (£80 each), Jane Turner (Craigielaw) (am) 42-38 (amateur voucher to the value of £80).81 Heather MacRae (Gleneagles) 40-41, Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) (am) 38-43, Tara McTaggart (Minto) (am) 39-42, Fabienne In-Albon (Switzerland) 39-42.
84 Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) (am) 42-42.
86 Martine Pow (Selkirk) 44-42, Kimberley Crooks (Middlesbrough) 42-44
87 Gemma Webster (Elie Sports Club) 42-45
88 Michele Thomson (Ellon) 46-42.
89 Nichola Ferguson (Milngavie) (am) 46-43, Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co) (am) 43-46.
92 Ailsa Bain (Peebles) 47-45, Laura Harvey (Darlington) 46-46
98 Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) (am) 49-49   
ORDER OF MERIT POINTS
Event 1 - Marriott Dalmahoy
1  Chrisje De Vries  1000   
2   Vikki Laing    750   
3  Jessica Meek      675   
3  Jess Wilcox    675
5  E Givens    600   
6  D Dyer     550   
7  L Shervill    500   
8  L Murray    374
8  H Stirling    374
8 T Kernen    374
8 J Turner     374   
8 K Falkner    374       
13 H MacRae    305   
13 K McIntosh    305
13 T MacTaggart    305       
13 F In-Albon    305   
17 A McKechin    280   
18 M Pow     265   
18 K Crooks    265   
20 G Webster    250   
21 M Thomson    240           
22 R Walker    225
22 N Ferguson    225           
24 L Harvey    205   
25 A Bain     205
26 H Scott    190