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Alonso & Wessberg lead with 67s

Spain's Carmen Alonso and Sweden's Linda Wessberg hold a one shot lead after a scorching day at the €400,000 BMW Ladies Italian Open.

The big hitting Alonso, who is in her second year on the Ladies European Tour, and the glamorous Wessberg, who is in her third season, carded a pair of 67s at Sheraton Golf Parco de' Medici in Rome, to lead on five-under-par.

Both players made their work all the easier by eagling the 471-yard par-five eighth hole, but in different circumstances. Wessberg hit her three-wood in to four feet after a poor tee shot but it gave her the confidence to fire four straight birdies in a row from the ninth. She eventually carded five birdies, two bogeys and the eagle.

Alonso, who was officially the longest hitter on the Tour last year, reduced the eighth to a driver pitching wedge, after booming her drive 325 yards and stiffing her approach shot to three feet. Her opening round included six birdies, a bogey, a double bogey, and the eagle.