Gold Coast: Diksha Dagar was the pick of the Indians as she opened with a 4-under 67 to be placed Tied-8th after the first round of the Australian WPGA Championships here on Thursday.
She is four shots behind leader Kelsey Macdonald (64), who set a new course record with her opening round.
Hitaashee Bakshi also had a promising opening round as she carded 2-under 69 to be placed T-23.
The other Indians in the field, Pranavi Urs (1-over 72) and Vani Kapoor (2-over 73) endured difficult starts and were T-68 and T-81 respectively.
Diksha enjoyed a bogey-free day. Starting on the back nine, she birdied the tenth and then had another three bridies on the front nine to close the day.
Hitaashee, who is looking to make amends after three tough weeks on the LET, played even par for the front nine despite finding birdies on the fourth, sixth and ninth holes.
She made a bogey on the fifth and a double bogey on the eighth to drop three shots. The 21-year-old made another two birdies on 12th and the 18th holes.
She found the fairway on every single hole while her bogey and double bogey came on two of the four holes where she failed to make the Green in Regulation.
Kelsey Macdonald leads the field by one stroke after putting on a sensational opening round to set a new course record at the Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club of 7-under 64. The 35-year-old Scott started her round with a bogey on the first hole before the floodgates were opened on the fourth hole with a birdie.
She fired another two birdies on the front nine on the seventh and ninth and then followed it up with three more birdies on the back nine, on the 11th, 12th and 17th holes only to finish her round with an eagle on the 18th hole.
Macdonald made every Green in Regulation other than the first hole during her record-breaking round.
Local star Hannah Green is in second place, just one stroke behind the leader along with Charlotte Heath of England.
