Dubai: Players began the difficult task of picking up from where they had left off at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters on Thursday.
The first round had been suspended on Wednesday following the tragic death of 56-year-old Austrian caddie Maximilian Zechmann, who collapsed and died of a heart attack on the 13th fairway at Emirates Golf Club while caddieing for France’s Anne-Lise Caudal.
The tournament was shortened to 54 holes (or three rounds) with players returning on Thursday to complete their opening rounds. Black ribbons were worn and a minute’s silence was held at midday.
England’s Florentyna Parker leads after round one at five under par 67, one stroke clear of France’s Sophie Giquel-Bettan and the USA’s Cheyenne Woods.
Parker had been seven under through nine without blemish on Wednesday before play was suspended, and returned on Thursday to add a bogey and two consecutive birdies to reach eight under through 16, before a bogey and double bogey finish put her back down to five under.
“I had started so well on Wednesday,” she said. “But then I struggled a bit on Thursday morning.
“It’s quite hard to find your way again, but it was good that I made back-to-back birdies, and obviously I struggled on the last two holes.
“The last three years I’ve missed the cut here and it’s been disappointing. But in 2010 I started with five or six under on the front nine. I knew I needed to get back to that feeling and somehow do the same, and this shows that I can do it.”
Tiger Woods’ niece Cheyenne was also four under through six without fault when play was suspended on Wednesday. She returned on Thursday to add three more birdies to get up to seven under through 11 before a bogey and double bogey finish pegged her back down to four under.
“To pick up where I left off on Wednesday, it was a great feeling to know I still had the game,” she said.
“I struggled a bit coming in but overall I’m happy with how I played and where my game is at.
“I kind of know where I can improve and I’m going to try and improve on those areas tomorrow. I left a few shots out there and I think I’ll be able to make them up.
“I feel like I’m in a great position and I think I can do even better tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to it.”
A group of six players of Jade Schaeffer, Anne Van Dam, Emily Kristine Pedersen, Nuria Iturrios, Ashleigh Simon and Laura Jansone are all tied for fourth at three under, two strokes off Parker’s lead.
Defending champion and record three-time winner Shanshan Feng is five strokes off the lead at level par tied for 31st. And former World No. 2 and two-time Major winner Suzann Pettersen, who is making her debut in Dubai this week, is seven shots behind at two over par tied for 54.
The cut will be made after Friday’s second round, the tournament will still end on Saturday as planned.
PARKER Florentyna ENG -5 67 67
T2 GIQUEL-BETTAN Sophie FRA -4 68 68
T2 WOODS Cheyenne USA -4 68 68
T4 SCHAEFFER Jade FRA -3 69 69
T4 VAN DAM Anne NED -3 69 69
T4 PEDERSEN Emily Kristine DEN -3 69 69
T4 ITURRIOS Nuria ESP -3 69 69
T4 SIMON Ashleigh RSA -3 69 69
T4 JANSONE Laura LAT -3 69 69
T10 WESSBERG Linda SWE -2 70 70
T10 RAS-ANDERICA Leticia GER -2 70 70
T10 HILLIER Whitney AUS -2 70 70
T10 LEWIS Amelia USA -2 70 70
T10 NOCERA Gwladys FRA -2 70 70
T10 ASHOK Aditi IND -2 70 70
T10 WALKER Kylie SCO -2 70 70
T17 SPILKOVA Klara CZE -1 71 71
T17 HALL Lydia WAL -1 71 71
T17 HALL Georgia ENG -1 71 71
T17 CARLSSON Lynn SWE -1 71 71
T17 EWART SHADOFF Jodi ENG -1 71 71
T17 SKARPNORD Marianne NOR -1 71 71
T17 RAMSAY Isabella SWE -1 71 71
T17 GABSA Isi GER -1 71 71
T17 ALLEN Beth USA -1 71 71
T17 BOINEAU Isabelle FRA -1 71 71
T17 JIMENEZ MARTIN Noemi ESP -1 71 71
T17 YIN Angel USA -1 71 71
T17 CABRERA-BELLO Emma ESP -1 71 71
T17 SUWANNAPURA Thidapa THA -1 71 71
T31 MACDONALD Kelsey SCO 0 72 72
T31 PRETSWELL Pamela SCO 0 72 72
T31 SRISAWANG Nontaya THA 0 72 72
T31 HULL Charley ENG 0 72 72
T31 CAUDAL Anne-Lise FRA 0 72 72
T31 SAUZON Agathe FRA 0 72 72
T31 LEE Jung Min KOR 0 72 72
