Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, bidding to become the first Scot since Dale Reid in 1987 to be crowned the No.1 player on the Ladies’ European Tour, opened with a one under par 71 at the Dubai Ladies’ Masters at the Emirates. 

The North Berwick golfer was tied for 12th place and five shots behind the leader, Swede Maria Hjorth. Juliet Granada, Titiya Plucksataporn and Amy Yang shared second place on 68 while Michelle Wie was in the next group on 69. 

Matthew became the first Scot to win a women’s major at the Ricoh Women’s British Open in August, and a top three finish on Sunday could be enough to top the Henderson Money List. She is at No.2 with €251,271, and is hoping to overtake Swede Sophie Gustafson, who opened with a level par round of 72. 

“It has already been an incredible year and I never though I’d be in this position on the money list going into the final tournament,” admitted 40-year-old Matthew, whose second daughter, Sophie, was just 11 weeks old when she won the British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes. 

If Matthew wins this week, it would be the eighth of her career and a third this year – she also won the HSBC Brasil Cup on the LPGA Tour in January. 

Vikki Laing was the next best of the Scots on level par 72, while Lynn Kenny poster a 75, Krystle Caithness, who won the Dubai Ladies’ Pro-am over the same course last week, had a disappointing 76. Clare Queen was on 78 and is in danger of having to return to Tour School.