Kylie Walker off to good start at LPGA Tour Q School

Kylie Walker opened with a two-under-par 70 in Daytona Beach, Florida Picture: Phil Wilkinson

The two-times LET winner from Glasgow posted a two-under 70 on the Jones Course at LPGA International to sit handily placed in the clubhouse in the early stages of the five-round marathon.

Starting at the tenth, Walker dropped a shot at her second hole but was flawless thereafter and picked up birdies at the 16th, fourth and fifth in signing for halves of 36-34.

The 29-year-old finished the day sitting joint-18th overall, five shots behind Americans Simin Feng and Christine Song after they shot matching 65s on the same course.

Walker’s compatriot, Sally Watson, had a rollercoaster round as she opened with a level-par 72, which was also carded on the Jones Course.

Starting at the first, the Elie-based player was two-under after eight before running up a double-bogey 7 at the ninth.

Coming home, Watson bagged three birdies but also had three bogeys in with them, her card consisting of halves of 36-36.

Aberdeen’s Gemma Dryburgh, the third Scot in the field and also in action on the Jones layout, dropped a shot at her last hole - the ninth - for a one-over 73.

South Korean Julie Yang, who was a pupil at Loretto School in Musselburgh when she won the Scottish Schoolgirls’ title in 2010, posted the best first-day score on the Hills Course with a six-under-par 66.

Matthew, Scotland’s long-time flag-bearer on the LPGA Tour, is in Japan this week to represent the LET in a new team event, The Queens. The North Berwick woman has been paired with France’s Karine Icher - a winning partnership at this year’s Solheim Cup in Germany - for tomorrow’s opening fourballs at Miyoshi Country Club in Aichi.

Closer to home, Craig Lawrie, Paul’s oldest son, won the North-East Alliance event at Buckpool with a three-under 67 while a 65 from Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) saw him come out on top in the Midland Alliance at Anstruther.