Rookie Leah Hart sets the pace with a course record 65 in Holland
Ladies European Tour rookie Leah Hart from Australia set the target with a magnificent course record seven under par 65 today in the first round of the KLM Ladies Open at Eindhovensche Golf in the Netherlands .
The 24-year-old from Melbourne holds a two shot lead over experienced Tour player Stephanie Arricau from France, who sits a five under par after a 67.
France's Ludivine Kreutz, Finland's Riikka Hakkarainen, Denmark's Lisa Holm Sorensen and her compatriot Amanda Molke-Leth are a shot further back in a share of third position on four-under-par 68.
England 's Fame More carded the first hole-in-one of the tournament after acing the par-three third hole, with a rescue seven wood from 186 yards (or 174 metres) and the Sheffield-based player won free car rental for a year courtesy of Sixt for her efforts.
Hart, who lives near Australia 's Gold Coast with her parents, carded six birdies, one bogey and an eagle for her 65, which was the second lowest score of her career after she fired a 63 at her home course of Yarra Yarra.
She went out in five under par 31 with three birdies and an eagle on her front nine. She eagled the par-five ninth hole after she hit a five wood into the green for two and holed an eight feet putt.
On the back nine, she carded a further three birdies and her only mistake was at the long par-four tenth, where she took a club too many and flew the green from where she failed to get up and down. She came home in 34 with a birdie, birdie finish.
“I'm putting my good round down to not thinking about technique. I went out there thinking I'm going to be a kid again,” said Hart, who admitted that prior to today she had been experiencing swing problems and had spent many hours on the driving range.
“I'm going to try that again because it was the most fun I've had on a golf course in a long time.”
Despite being surrounded by a large group of fellow Aussies to keep her company in this year's LET rookie class, including the talented Nikki Garrett, Anna Rawson and Sarah Kemp, Hart has had a tough start to her career with LET as she had her passport and mobile phone stolen in the week following the Tenerife Ladies Open and she hasn't been able to settle or prepare for tournament play properly until now.
“No excuses. I've had some swing problems but from now on I'm not going to think about technique. That's certainly the way forward. It's certainly nice to see my name up there on the leader board as its been a while. Its good to have it up there and I'm going to try and keep it there,” she admitted.
Before playing on the LET, Hart spent a year competing on the US Futures Tour and like many Aussies, she says she follows Australian sport like it's her career.
France 's Arricau, from Toulouse , began her campaign for a third Ladies European Tour title with a five-under-par 67 and was delighted with her seven birdies but disappointed by her two bogeys.
“I was happy with the way I played but it could have been better and I could easily have reached the ninth in two,” she said. “Because I have been putting well I decided to take three shots to give myself an easy birdie putt. But I hit my sand wedge too strong and ended up three-putting!
“I have been playing very well for two weeks now and I am playing as well as I was when I won twice in 2004.”
Arricau claimed both the French and Spanish Ladies Open titles in 2004 before playing in America throughout last season and she admitted that she missed the European social scene during her time on the US LPGA circuit. “In America it was all golf, golf, golf; and there was not much fun. Most of the players over there are very much individuals, whereas in Europe , we all get along a little bit better.”
She feels especially comfortable this week's course because it reminds her of home.
“There are two courses that I have played a lot in Paris like this called, ‘Morfontaine' and ‘ Fontainebleau ', so I feel good here,” she said.
“I love the fact that you are surrounded by woodland and you can only see one hole at a time because it helps you to focus on each shot, which is nice. I'm taking it shot by shot and I live day by day, so we'll see what happens this weekend.”
Kreutz, who won in Tenerife and Hungary last year and who also made her Solheim Cup debut in 2005, was also a fan of the course.
“I like this kind of course: the greens, the grass, and I really enjoyed the day,” Kreutz said. She and Hakkarainen both finished on four under par after a 68 today.
As usual the Finn's putting was her greatest weapon and she said: “The course is in good condition. The greens are really nice and fast. I'm not a big fan of announcing my goals but I'm going to go and practice again now before tomorrow.”
Nijenhuis, the Netherlands ' greatest hope for title glory carded a two-over-par 74 today after she was penalised by a shot for slow play on the 15 th hole, which was her playing as her sixth after she started at the tenth.
“My tee shot went into the trees so I had a difficult decision and took a little longer than usual and the referee was timing me,” she said. “I was quite disappointed so I made a double bogey but then I came back to finish with an eagle so I was happy about that.”
Despite an imperfect start, Nijenhuis is nine shots off the lead and she may yet realise her goal of making it into the top ten come Sunday.
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