Becky's off to a positive start at Harlech.

Byline: TREVOR PEAKE

BECKY BREWERTON opened with a two under par 70 in the S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe at Royal St David's yesterday to be four off the pace set by Sweden's Anna Nordqvist.

The Abergele professional birdied the first and fourth at Harlech to get off to a good start, dropped strokes at the ninth and tenth but then birdied the 13th and 15th to get back in red figures.

Nordqvist dropped just one stroke at the third but then bagged five birdies and an eagle at the long 15th to claim the overnight lead.

Lydia Hall from Bridgend is the leading home contender with a three under par 69.

Wrexham tour rookie Breanne Loucks also made a solid start with a level par 72 which was matched by Holyhead amateur Tara Davies and US-based South Wales professional Becky Morgan.

Loucks also birdied the first, dropped shots at three, six and seven but then birdied eight and 11 before parring the last seven holes.

Davies had an up and down round. She also birdied the first, dropped shots at the fifth and sixth, birdied seven and eight, bogied the 14th, birdied 15 but then missed the chance to finish under the card when she dropped a shot at the par three 18th.

Conwy's Louise Davis had to settle for a three over par 75 after a spectacular start.

She eagled the par five first and birdied the second to be three under after two holes. She then gave the strokes back with a bogey and the sixth and a double-bogey seven at the long seventh to be out in level par 37.

Unfortunately on the way home she couldn't find a birdie and dropped strokes at the 10th, 12th and 15th.

Of the other Welsh amateurs, Sahra Hassan shot 76, Katherine Connor and Rhian Wyn Thomas 77s and Lucy Gould 79, while professional Jo Pritchard struggled to an 82.

Solheim Cup wild-card Nordqvist fired a six-under-par 66 to seize a one stroke lead, writes Alan Easel.

On her first visit to Wales, the Ladies European Tour rookie dropped just one shot at the par-four third hole and picked up two birdies at holes six and eight going out.

She came home in just 30 strokes after birdies at the 11th, 13th and 17th, along with an eagle at the 439-yard par-five 15th, where she knocked in a 30-foot putt.

"I played really well. I really got my putting going today so I am happy with my day," said the 6ft 1ins Swede.

Breanne

Having been given a wild-card by the European Solheim Cup captain Alison Nicholas on Sunday, Nordqvist is now focused on winning her second professional tournament.

She earned her first pro title, the LPGA Championship, which is a Major, in June, in just her fifth start on the US LPGA Tour. It is hard to believe that she is still only a rookie.

"I'm getting more used to everything as a professional. I think just being around all these great players; being out here week after week, I'm learning things all the time," she said. "There is more attention, more media. It's new; it's a learning experience, but it is part of being a professional athlete. I'm learning a lot. I'm still a rookie and I've still a lot to learn."

Australian Katherine Hull, who won the ANZ Ladies Masters in her home country in February, finished the day in equal second with South African Ashleigh Simon on 67. Hull's round contained six birdies, to Simon's seven.

Hull, who received an invitation this week, is considering joining the Ladies European Tour to play in more events. She arrived in Wales on Monday evening and has been seeing the local sights, such as Harlech Castle. "I think we are going to do the steam train this afternoon. I'm having a ball," she said.

England's Laura Davies saw the course for the first time on Thursday morning and started impressively, with three birdies in her opening six holes. Three more birdies were countered by two bogeys for a 68 and a seven-way tie for fourth position.

"It's a great golf course, just a pure links," said Davies, who will make her 11th appearance as part of the 12-woman strong European Solheim Cup team at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois, from August 21-23.

Loucks "There are some really hard holes into the wind and some easy birdie chances downwind: just a great combination of everything.

"A castle up on the hill: it's just lovely. Great scenery, great course, good galleries: it's going to be a great week."

Also on 68 were Scotland's Krystle Caithness, a first year tour player, India's Smriti Mehra, Australian Frances Bondad, South Korean Amy Yang, recent Portugal Open champion Johanna Westerberg of Sweden and England's Florentyna Parker, who currently leads the Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year race.

CAPTION(S):

Breanne Loucks Abergele golfer Becky Brewerton