KEY POINTS:
New Zealand golfer Sarah Nicholson is the outright leader following the first round of the rain-affected UNIQA Ladies Golf Open in Austria.
Nicholson posted a five-under-par 67 at Golfclub FC6hrenwald near Vienna with heavy rain forcing the opening round to stretch over two days and limiting the tournament to 54 holes.
The 22-year-old Wellington rookie was one of a handful of players to complete 18 holes on Friday, despite a five-and-a-half hour delay in the morning due to flooded greens.
She carded six birdies - including three in her last four holes - and one bogey, and holds a one-stroke lead over Italy's Diana Luna.
Three players share a tie for third place on three-under-par. Sweden's Sophie Gustafson, who won last week's De Vere Ladies Scottish Open and who is the defending champion carded a faultless 69 to sit alongside fellow Swede Elin Ohlsson and England's Laura Davies.
The latter's round included an eagle at the par-five tenth and a triple bogey at the par-four 13th.
Nicholson, forced to qualify on Monday after missing her card on the Ladies European Tour, was delighted with her opening round score, and admitted she had no idea she was performing so well until after her round had finished.
"I didn't really notice that I shot five-under on the back nine so I was surprised when I looked at my card," she said. "I just let it happen, really. I've played pretty good and I hit the ball well off the tee, which you kind of have to do round here."
Nicholson splits her time between the Swedish-based Telia Tour and the Ladies European Tour and said that her decision to play in Austria was influenced by her desire to earn full playing rights next season.
"I didn't have enough money to come over for the whole year and get my full card" said Nicholson, who spends a lot of time in Birmingham with her relatives between tournaments.
"I came here (Europe) for three months to warm up for Q-School. I would say that I am just trying to get experience this year.
"I was a bit disappointed that I missed out on my full card, but it has definitely made me work a lot harder this year and work on my game."
Leading scores:
67 - Sarah Nicholson (NZ)
68 - Diana Luna (ITA)
69 - Sophie Gustafson (SWE), Laura Davies (ENG), E lin Ohlsson (SWE)
70 - Karen-Margrethe Juul (DEN), Lisa Holm Sorensen (DEN), Tania Elosegui (ESP), Ursula Wikstrom (FIN), Mianne Bagger (DEN), Lill Kristin Saether (NOR), Lee-Anne Pace (SA), Natalie Claire Booth (ENG)
Other New Zealanders:
72 - Lynn Brooky, Elizabeth McKinnon
- NZPA
