Kim Metraux leads Dutch Open with Lauren Walsh back in pack

Kim Metraux fired an opening round of 65 (-7) to lead the 2024 Dutch Ladies Open by one stroke at Hilversumsche Golf Club.

The Swiss star rolled in back-to-back birdies on holes two and three before adding another on the seventh.

Metraux then went on a birdie blitz on the back nine with birdies on holes 10, 12, 13, 14 and 16 in the Netherlands.

The 29-year-old dropped her only shot of the day on the 17th but still sealed a round of seven-under-par to sit at the top of the leaderboard after 18 holes.

"It was a very enjoyable day actually, a very steady round of golf," said Metraux. "Unfortunately, I had that bogey on 17 but other than that I had very solid shots and I made a few more putts than usual, I was very pleased with the day.

"I feel like everything was good. I hit almost all the fairways and almost all the greens except nine and 17, so I gave myself some good opportunities and was able to convert quite a few of them."

Ireland's Lauren Walsh carded an opening round 73 to sit on one-over par and tied-64th. The 23-year old carded three birdies and four bogeys on Friday to leave herself eight strokes adrift of the lead.

FULL LEADERBOARD

Three players sit in a share of second place with Eswatini’s Nobuhle Dlamini, England’s Gemma Clews and Germany’s Laura Fünfstück all on six-under-par.

It was a bogey-free day for Dlamini, who is only playing in their third LET tournament since returning to Tour after the birth of her first child last year.

The 32-year-old rolled in birdies on holes one, two, nine, 11, 13 and 16 to produce a round of six-under 66.

England’s Clews only dropped one shot on her way to a round of 66 (-6) as she had seven birdies on her scorecard.

Germany’s Fünfstück, who was playing late in the afternoon wave, also