The best of the 11 Czech golfers at the start of the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open were the three professionals.
Sára Kousková, Patricie Macková and Tereza Melecká recorded a 70 (-2) and are tied for 42nd on the Ladies European Tour at Royal Beroun Golf Club after the first round. Veronika Kedronova (71) was still under par and two more amateurs, Natalie Saint Germain and Annika Kohoutek, finished in even par 72, as did professional Klara Davidson Spilkova.
Ideal weather and the players’ previous experience with the well-prepared Beroun 18 helped to produce very low scores. A total of 80 players out of 132 starters played under par overall. A maximum of 67 shots was needed to make the Top 10 in the first round.
The bar was set by India’s Amandeep Drall after the morning play. Her score of 64 (-8) remained just a shot behind the course record. The Indian had a total of nine birdies, including four in a row between holes 13 and 16 and along with the 18th, she converted five of her six scoring opportunities.
She did lose a shot on the second nine on a three-over par four, but again managed to finish with three birdies on the last four holes. “It was the best round of my career. I especially putted well,” said the 32-year-old Indian, who is one shot behind England’s Lianna Bailey and Florentyna Parker.
“I’ve had great dreams. Thanks to the chip-in, I made eagle on five. I attacked with my second shot with a hybrid on eighteen, hit the green, but unfortunately the ball bounced into the reeds. The final bogey was a bit disappointing, but overall I’m happy,” said Melecka.
“It was quite a struggle, so I’ll take two under par. Especially the finish with two birdies on the last three holes was good. I played downwind on the four-par nine straight to the green,” described the opening shot by Kouskova, a two-time winner on the LET this year and the runner-up in the Order of Merit standings.
“Honestly, I don’t know how to rate the round because there were positives and negatives. I managed a birdee on six and seven, but unfortunately I also made bogey on the back nine to end the round,” Spilkova stated.
Saturday’s second round of the Tipsport Czech Ladies will see all Czech players in the morning start times. Live coverage will be broadcast by Oneplay Sport from 10:00 to 14:00.