Lurgan's Annabel Wilson is tied-15th after the opening round at the PIF London Championship with Alexandra Swayne and Laura Funfstuck leading the way at the Centurion Club.
Defending champion Leona Maguire - who won in spectacular fashion with an eagle at the final hole last year - is absent but Wilson leads a four-strong Irish contingent after firing a two-under par opening round 71 around the London venue.
Lauren Walsh is two strokes further back on even par, the Kildare golfer bouncing back from a double-bogey and bogey on successive holes on the third and fourth with birdies on the fifth and seventh.
Sara Byrne carded a one-over 74, which included five bogeys and four birdies, while Anna Foster is well back after a five-over 78.
In glorious conditions, Swayne and Funfstuck both fired rounds of 67 on the first day to share the lead on six under.
It was a good start for Swayne, who represents the US Virgin Islands, as she made a birdie on 10 before her only dropped shot of the day on 11.
She rolled in back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 before an eagle on the first and rounded out her day with birdies on seven and eight to be tied for the lead on six under.
Germany's Funfstuck began her day with an eagle at the first and added a birdie on the second before another on the ninth.
Her only bogey of the round came on 11, but she bounced back with birdies on 12 and 13 and finished in style with another birdie at the last to be tied alongside Swayne.
Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini and Spain’s Carlota Ciganda are in a share of third place on five under.
Three-time LET winner Tamburlini had eight birdies and three bogeys on her scorecard for her round of 68.
English trio Cara Gainer, Mimi Rhodes and Charlotte Laffar, Sweden’s Bringner, and Italy’s Alessandra Fanali are in a tie for fifth place on four under.
