Ann Lewis sets pace in Senior Ladies' 

British Open in her native Wales

FROM THE LGU WEBSITE
Ann Lewis, the 2013 title winner from Royal St David's Golf Club, Harlech, leads after the first round of the Senior Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship at Prestatyn Golf Club, Wales today. Ann shot a 3 under par round of 71 but has only a one shot advantage heading into tomorrow's second round.

The Royal St David's Golf Club member, pictured,  set the early clubhouse target of three-under-par 71 and was still holding down the pole position at the end of the first round of the Senior Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship at Prestatyn Golf Club, Wales today.

Ann, who plays off +1, crammed seven birdies into her excellent round with halves of 34 (three under par) and 37 (level). She got off to a flying start with a hat-trick of birdies from the third to the fifth.
 Back to back bogeys at the sixth and seventh did not knock her out of her stride as she got back on the birdie trail with gains at both the eighth and ninth. Lewis bogeyed the 10th and 14th but finished on a high with her sixth and seventh birdies of the round, at the 16th and 18th.

At the end of the day her lead had been cut to one stroke by Julie Brown (Trentham) whose two-under 72 had halves of 36 with birdies at the seventh, 16th and 18th, offset by a single bogey, at the 13th.

English senior champion Helen Lowe had the third best round of the day, a par-matching 74 with halves of 37. Helen birdied the eighth and 12th, bogeying the ninth and 15th.

It's over a decade since Mary McKenna was the last Irish winner of this title but Gertie McMullen (The Island) is only four shots off the pace with a 75 (36-39) and a share of fourth place with Rozalyn Adams (Royal Blackheath). She birdied three in a row from the eighth to the 10th but bogeyed the sixth, 11th, 14th and 17th.

Catherine Rawthore (Sale), seeking to beat the jinx on defending champions in this tournament, has a mountain to climb after posting a first-round, eight-over par 82 for joint 35th place. Catherine had two double bogey 7s in halves of 39 and 43. The first came at the seventh and the second at the 10th. It had all started well enough with a birdie at the fourth but that proved to be the only highlight.

Fiona De Vries (St Regulus) is the leading Scot in joint 26th place on the 80 mark.
The field is cut to the leading 40 and ties at the end of Wednesday's second round for the final 18 holes on Thursday.

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