JOIN USSharmila Nicollet got off to a strong start in the Australian Ladies Classic, carding a solid two-under 70 to grab a share of the fourth place after the first round at the highly-acclaimed Bonville Golf Resort here on Thursday.
Apart from Sharmila, another player with a fair start was Amandeep Drall, whose one-over 73 placed her T-37th and she was in a good position to make the 36-hole cut in the 54-hole tournament.
The other two Indians, Vani Kapoor and Gaurika Bishnoi struggled to 7-over 79 each and at T-113th were likely to miss the cut.
England's Holly Clyburn took the first round lead with an impressive bogey-free 5-under 67, while Spaniard Marta Sanz Barrio was two shots behind at 3-under 69 with five birdies against two bogeys and she shared the second place with Iceland's Valdis Thora Jonsdottir.
Sharmila was tied fourth alongside French golfer, Celine Boutier, China's Lin Xiu Yu, Australia's Stephanie Na, Dane Nanna Madsen, Mexican Ana Menedez, German Olivia Cowan and Australian Hannah Green. They all shot 70.
Sharmila, who recently became the first Indian to earn a card on the China LPGA, started from the ninth, which is where the back stretch starts at the Bonville course.
She bogeyed the par-4 13th, but made up quickly with birdies on par-4 16th and par-5 18th. She added a third birdie on par-5 fourth and finished at 70.
Shubhankar shoots 69
Rising Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma overcame a double bogey to post a three-under 69 in the opening round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in Doha.
The 21-year-old, who is on top of both the European and Asian Tour Order of Merit lists by virtue of two wins in less than two months, had five birdies against one double bogey and was lying tied-38th.
Meanwhile, things did not pan out too well for SSP Chawrasia, who defends his Hero Indian Open title in just over two weeks from now. Chawrasia shot one-over 73 and was lying way down at tied-105th spot and in danger of missing the cut.
On a fine day for scoring, three players, Gregory Havret, Eddie Pepperell and Aaron Rai, shared the lead, after having an indifferent start to the 2018 season. With low winds helping the scores, they all shot seven-under 65 each at the Doha Golf Club.
They were a shot clear of Italian Edoardo Molinari, Spaniard Alvaro Quiros and German Marcel Schneider.