Vikki Laing and Pamela Feggans, both former US Future Tour players, were the best of the Scots on one under par 71 after the first round of the Portuguese Ladies’ Open at Golden Eagle near Lisbon.

Musselburgh’s Laing had three birdies in a solid round, while Ayrshire’s Feggans had one more as they finished in a share of tenth place and just three shots behind the leader, Denmark’s Iben Tinning.

Krystle Caithness, currently the leading Scot at No. 33 on the money list, started on the back nine and rather marred her card with a triple-bogey seven at the 18tth and a double-bogey six at the seventh.

The 20-year-old rookie from St Regulus also had two birdies to finish on 75 and in between the two most experienced Scots. Lynn Kenny shot 74 and Clare Queen had a 76.

Tinning, a former European No.1, had half a dozen birdies in her four under par 68 and she led by a shot from a group of three that included Wales’ Becky Brewerton. Brewerton could have been the outright leader but she dropped shots at the final two holes.