Casandra Alexander made three birdies on her front nine on Thursday on her way to a first round of three-under-par 69 in the Ladies European Tour’s Australian Women’s Classic at Magenta Shores Golf and Country Club north of Sydney.

Her hot start was stopped in its tracks with successive bogeys on 11 and 12, however. But she was able to bounce back with birdies on 17 and 18. She will head into the second round in a share of 12th, five strokes off the lead.

Czech Republic’s Sara Kouskova fired a course record eight-under-par 64 to storm into the round one lead. She  capitalised on calm conditions in New South Wales carding eight birdies and dropping no shots to lead by two after 18 holes of action. Kouskova hit all 18 greens and missed just one fairway.

“Honestly, it was such a steady round today,” Kouskova said, who matched her career-best round thanks to the morning flurry.

Two back in a tie for second on six-under par were New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori, Ecuador’s Daniela Darquea and Australia’s Kelsey Bennett.

Five players were in a tie for fifth on five-under par. This included Thai duo Trichat Cheenglab and Sasikarn Somboonsup, France’s Celine Herbin – who had two eagles on day one – Denmark’s Sofie Kibsgaard and LET Access Series (LETAS) graduate Katharina Muehlbauer from Austria. Ten players round out the top-10 in a tie for 10th on four-under par.

The other South African in the field was Caitlyn Macnab, and she carded a two-under-par 70 for a share of 33rd. She had an eagle, two birdies and two bogeys on her card.