Giquel-Bettan takes the lead

02 July 2015 06:47

France's Sophie Giquel-Bettan carded a six-under-par 66 to take the lead after the first round of the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters on Thursday.

Giquel-Bettan fired seven birdies and one bogey at Buckinghamshire Golf Club to end the day one shot ahead of South African Ashleigh Simon, Italian Sophie Sandolo, Josephine Janson of Sweden and Nontaya Srisawang from Thailand.

English pair Charley Hull and Trish Johnson were part of a large group two strokes off the pace on four under par.

Hull, who recorded five birdies and one bogey, said: "I'm happy because I putted pretty well today. I just kept coming up short with my irons. I struck it well but kept misclubbing myself.

"I feel like I'm so used to my American distances that now when I'm in a tournament I keep thinking I'm going to hit them a bit further but I don't."

Johnson was delighted with her round following a disappointing run of results this season due to a persistent back injury, adding: "I had a lesson a couple of days ago with Stuart Brewer, the father of Ben Brewer, who caddied for me in Holland. There was some stuff that I really needed help with."

Source: PA