Nairobi, Feb 9 (IANS): Diksha Dagar gave herself a fine start with 2-under 71 at the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open at Vipingo Ridge. Dagar led a group of four Indians playing in Kenya this week. Diksha was tied seventh, while Vani Kapoor (72) was Tied-16 despite a closing double bogey.

Pranavi Urs, who dropped a lot of shots at the end with three bogeys in the last five holes, scored even par 73. Pranavi was Tied-32nd. Indian amateur, Avani Prashanth (80) was way down and will struggle to make the cut.

Three players Eleanor Givens, Cara Gorlei and Lauren Walsh all produced rounds of 69 (-4) to sit at the top of the leaderboard.

It was England’s Givens who set the clubhouse lead after teeing it up in the morning wave in Kenya. The Englishwoman got off to an incredibly hot start with six birdies in her first eight holes, she dropped shots on holes five, 15 and 16, but made another birdie on 12 for her round of four-under.

South Africa’s Gorlei, 27, who secured her full LET status at Lalla Aicha Q-School in December, went bogey-free for her opening round.

Ireland’s 23-year-old Walsh, who is a rookie this year on the LET, was also in the afternoon wave and had no blemishes on her scorecard.

Three players are in a tie for second place with Northern Ireland’s Olivia Mehaffey, Italy’s Alessandra Fanali and Denmark’s Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen all on three-under-par.

Thailand’s Aunchisa Utama and Diksha Dagar sit in a tie for seventh place on two-under-par.

There will be a cut for the top-60 professionals and ties at the end of the second round.