Friday 27 March 2015 12:17, UK
Defending champion Charley Hull struggled to an opening round of 74 at the Lalla Maryem Cup as Norway's Tonje Daffinrud and Finland's Ursula Wikstrom set the pace.
Hull, looking to repeat last year's play-off victory in Morocco, looks in danger of missing the cut despite ending her two-over round with a birdie, carding four bogeys and two double bogeys during an erratic first day.
“I didn’t hit it very well… I mean, I hit it alright, but just didn’t score,” Hull said, whose compatriots Trish Johnson, Ellie Givens, Felicity Johnson and Florentyna Parker are all within one shot of the lead.
In fair conditions at Golf de l’Ocean in Agadir, Daffinrud rattled off four birdies during a blemish-free four-under 67, including a six-foot gain at the par four last, while Wikstrom's only dropped shot came at the par four tenth as the LET veteran posted five birdies.
“It was a pretty good start to the week. I felt really good so I was able to attack some pins and I’m happy,” Daffinrud said. “I’m not going to put too much into it.
"I feel great today and I’ll go out and do the same tomorrow. I had a good start to the season and this is where I want to be. I’m here to win."
Tight field
The pair hold a one stroke lead over 10 other players, including five Frenchwomen: Gwladys Nocera, Jade Schaeffer, Anne-Lise Caudal, Celine Herbin and 16-year-old amateur Matthilda Cappeliez, who finished 25th in the tournament last year.
Nocera, who was beaten to the title by Charley Hull in a play-off at the same golf course last year, was happy with her first round and said: “It’s always good to start the tournament like this. I hit 16 greens and didn’t miss many fairways, so everything went well.”
