Lejan Lewthwaite was the leading South African after the first round on Thursday of the Ladies European Tour’s Jabra Ladies Open with her one-over-par 72 at the Evian Resort Golf Club in France.

Her two birdies and three bogeys put her in a share of 33^rd, six strokes off the lead. France’s Agathe Sauzon and Moroccan Ines Laklalech carded five-under-par 66s to share a one-shot lead over Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux and Jana Melichova of Czechia who were one stroke back. Two French players, Nastasia Nadaud and Celine Herbin, are among a group of four who are two shots from the lead, with a further five players sharing ninth place.

It was a quiet day for the South African regulars on the tour, with Nicole Garcia on three-over in a share of 61^st. Stacy Bregman was on four-over in a share of 73^rd with, amongst others, rookie Danielle du Toit. Lee-Anne Pace struggled her way to a five-over 76 and a share of 83^rd, while Cara Gorlei was down in a share of 105^th with a seven-over 78.