France set the early pace at PGA National Slieve Russell as last year’s runners up began their bid for a ninth European Ladies’ Team Championship title with an impressive six under par total.
Camille Min-Gaultier was the standout performer for the French outfit, carding a bogey free five under par opening round 67 to share the individual lead with Denmark’s Marie Eline Madsen in glorious conditions at the County Cavan venue.
Hosts Ireland also made a positive start, as Gillian O’Leary’s team opened with a one under total to sit fourth overnight, with Kate Dillon (Oughterard) the best of the Irish on day one.
Making her European Ladies' Team Championship debut, Dillon had the honour of leading out the home team on Tuesday morning as she teed up alongside Balma Davalos Guaita (Spain) and Sara Brentcheneff (France). The East of Ireland Women’s Amateur Open Champion got the Irish off to the ideal start as she went bogey free to card a four under par round of 68 to set the home side on their way.
“Got out there early and got around quick so it was very nice,” said Dillon.
“No bogeys, which doesn’t happen very often, so I’m delighted with that. I love early tee times especially when you’re first, you can just race around. I don’t like waiting around and I’d be a pretty fast player, so I was delighted to get that time and take advantage of it.”
Kirkistown Castle’s Beth Coulter kept that strong start going, finishing with a birdie on the 18th for a two under round of 70, before Katie Poots (Knock) carded back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 to match Coulter with a 70 of her own.
“We’ve got off to a good start and that’s always important in these things,” said Coulter.
“Obviously the goal is to make the top eight, so we’ll be striving towards that tomorrow.”
It proved to be a tougher day for Olivia Costello (Roscommon), Rebekah Gardner (Clandeboye), and Jessica Ross (Clandeboye), however, as the trio signed for rounds of five over, four over, and three over respectively. A solid overall team performance, though, leaves Ireland well placed heading into Wednesday’s decisive second Stroke Play round.
“Hopefully we’ll put up a good fight tomorrow and see where we end up at the end of it,” said Dillon.
“Top eight would be great. We have a young team, so getting into that would be fantastic. I’ll just do all I can for the team until then.”
With 18 holes of Stroke Play remaining before Match Play takes over on Thursday, the race is on for each country to take one of the coveted top eight spots.
France will take a three-shot advantage into the second round, with Min-Gaultier (-5), Valentine Delon (-3) and Vairane Heck (-2) leading the way for Les Bleus as they look to avenge last year’s final defeat to Spain on home soil at Golf de Chantilly.
The most successful nation in the history of this event, England sit second after Sophia Fullbrook’s three under par round helped them to a three under total as they seek championship number 13 this week. Ten-time champions Sweden round out the top four taking third position at a combined two under par, one shot ahead of Ireland.
View the European Ladies’ Team Championship scoring here.
