Rookie Avani placed second in Belgium

Hulencourt (Belgium), Jun 13 (PTI) Indian rookie Avani Prashanth equalled her best start of the season with a 4-under 68l that gave her a solid tied second position after the first round of the Hulencourt Women's Open here.

Playing in one of the late groups in the afternoon, Avani had seven birdies against three bogeys in an action-packed round.

Australia's Kelsey Bennett topped the leaderboard after day one with an opening round of 67 (-5). Avani shared the second place with Germany's Helen Briem as they carded 68 each.

Avani is one of the seven Indians in action this week on the Ladies European Tour.

The seasoned Diksha Dagar began with a modest even par 72 in the first round of the event and was T-22 when the round ended.

Amandeep Drall, who recently picked a win on her home Tour, the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour, is playing her first LET event this season, and Sneha Singh is featuring in her second event. The duo shot 2-over 74 each and were T-58th.

Tvesa Malik carded 76 as did Vani Kapoor, a four-time winner at home on WPGT, and both were T-89 while Hitaashee Bakshi struggled to 79 and was T-125th.

Avani began on the first and picked two early birdies on the second and the third. Then she had two bogeys on the fifth and the seventh with one birdie in between. A birdie on the ninth meant she turned in 2-under 34.

A par on the tenth was followed by three birdies in a row from the 11th to the 13th and a bogey on the 14th. Four pars over the last four holes meant she finished at 4-under for the day.

"I think it was a very good day from start to finish," said Avani.

"The putter was really hot all day. I love quick greens so this is definitely one of my favourite golf courses so far. I was reading putts perfectly and I've been working quite a bit on my putting the last two days, so I'm glad it all came together." At just 18-years-old, Prashanth is feeling good about her opening round.

"I'm feeling pretty good about it and I'm just glad that I finally got the good first day that I wanted. Things are off to a good start and let's see how the week goes.

"I think the game plan was pretty much the same as last week, despite being very different courses. I just had to work on getting my speed in control, but besides that, it's been the same," continued the teenager.

She is enjoying spending time with some fellow Indian players on Tour. They had some home cooked food Wednesday night which she described as "a kind of home away from home." Diksha, who has been in fine form this season and has been in the Top-10 of the Ladies European Tour's Order of Merit, had three birdies and as many bogeys in her round.

She started on the back nine and bogeyed the 14th, but turned in one-under with birdies on the 16th and the 18th. A bogey on the second followed by a birdie on the third meant she was still under par. A bogey on the seventh, which was her 16th hole, saw her finish at even par.

Australia's Kelsey Bennett shot 68 as she started on the 10th tee. Bennett had a strong run of birdies. Despite two bogeys and a double bogey, the Australian still managed an impressive five-under-par round, thanks to a remarkable nine birdies in the round.

The 25-year-old has had a solid start of the season, recording three top-10 finishes.

The 2024 Rookie of the Year, Helen Briem, building on her impressive runner-up finish in Tenerife, Spain last week, was very happy with her performance.

One shot back are four players on three-under par including Scotland's Kylie Henry, England's Cara Gainer, France's Nastasia Nadaud, and Wales' Lydia Hall. PTI Cor AH AH