Lee-Anne Pace found her fine opening five-under-par 67 paling into insignificance on Friday after that left her six strokes off the lead after the first round of the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series at Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia.

The multiple South African Women’s Open champion finished the first round of the 54-hole event down in a share of 15^th place as American Alison Lee fired a spectacular 11-under-par 61 to lead Minjee Lee of Australia by two strokes.

“Today was just one of those days that golf just felt really easy,” Lee said. “A dream round. I wish every day felt like this. I was telling my caddie, ‘Gosh, golf is so easy’. Obviously I don’t say that every day but it was one of those days.”

Pace made five birdies on her front nine after teeing off on the 10^th, but things went a bit quiet for her on the homeward nine after she bogeyed the first and made just a single birdie on the par-five fifth.

Casandra Alexander opened with a one-under-par 71after turning in two-over 38 after he start on the 10^th. Things were much better for her on the way in with three birdies in the first five holes after the turn. She was in a share of 52^nd.

Nicole Garcia also battled back well, finishing in level-par 72 after a triple-bogey eight on the second hole saw her start on back foot. A birdie and a bogey ahead of the turn saw her reach halfway in three-over-par, but she made four birdies and a bogey on her way in. She was in a share of 62^nd.