Kylie Henry off to 'solid' start in Kenya as eagle transforms David Law's day in UAE

Kylie Henry took pride of place on a day when Scottish golfers either set out at the start of a new season or looked to build on promising early signs.

Henry, one of four Scots in the field, opened the 2023 Ladies European Tour campaign on an encouraging note as she carded a two-under-par 71 in the Magical Kenya Ladies Open.

On a day when only 11 players broke par at Vipingo Ridge, the effort left Henry sitting joint-second as India’s Aditi Ashok, a former St Rule Trophy at St Andrews, set the pace with an outstanding 67.

“I’m happy with that, I played really nicely,” said Henry, a two-time LET winner. “I can’t complain for the first round of the season. I have been in Dubai for the past week and we have been playing some competitive matches there at the Els Club.

Kylie Henry

“I knew where my game was at, and pretty much all around I’m solid. I’m driving it nicely and hitting my irons really solid. That’s the word – solid.”

The Scot birdied the fourth, seventh, 11th and 15th, with the only blemish on her card coming at the short 17th, where she took a double bogey.

“I hit the shot pretty much how I wanted to and the wind was down off the right but, as the shot has taken off, a gust has come up in the other direction,” she said of that finding water. “I turned to my brother and said I would hit the same club again.”

Ashok, who landed her win at St Andrews in 2015, signed for an eagle in a great day’s work, which left Esther Henseleit, who is bidding for a third straight win in the event, ten shots off the lead.

David Law didn't feel much was happening in his opening round in the Ras Al Khaimah Championship until he holed out for an eagle at the second - his 11th - at Al Hamra Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

In her first event since securing a card, Louise Duncan battled hard for a 76, one better than Michele Thomson, while Laura Beveridge opened her new campaign with a disappointing 82.

On the DP World Tour, David Law and Marc Warren shot matching three-under-par 69s on a day when Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune lit up the first round of the Ras Al Khaimah Championship with a 64 that was sparked by six straight birdies.

“Absolutely,” said Law of his day being transformed when he holed out from 129 yards for an eagle-2 at the second - his 11th hole. “We were in the sand and just hit a really nice shot - one bounce and straight in the hole, which was great. I kind of needed something to change after I got off to a really slow start and was sluggish a little bit.“

Warren made his score by covering the opening eight holes in four-under, with Richie Ramsay starting eagle-birdie later in the day before he had to settle for a par-72. Grant Forrest and Ewen Ferguson both signed for 70s, with Connor Syme and Scott Jamieson coming in with matching 71s.

The DP World Tour Qualifying School graduate made the most of favourable scoring conditions at Al Hamra Golf Club on Thursday, firing nine birdies before dropping his only shot of the day at the 18th after an errant tee-shot to finish on eight under par.

Hisatsune, a 20-year-old who graduated from the Q-School in November, leads by two shots from Dane Rasmus Hojgaard, Italian Edoardo Molinari and England’s Matthew Baldwin.

On the Challenge Tour, David Drysdale, with a one-under 71, fared best among four Scots in the season-opening Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open.