GOLD WOMEN'S IRISH OPEN:A RELATIVELY short course with fitful, often heavy rain and undulating greens, yesterday described as having the contours of several dead elephants, ensured few knew what sort of opening score was going to headline the first day of the AIB women's Irish Open.

After several drenchings and some hesitant sunshine a five under par 67 from Norway’s Maria Hjorth in the morning session led the way on a majestically sodden course at Killeen Castle.

The threat of the 10 American raiders seemed dampened by the conditions and terrain of the sweeping venue. By the end of the day only four names with stars and stripes attached were among the first 20 players on the leader board, Kirsty McPherson the best at three under par.

The long-hitting Hjorth now heads a group of luminaries whose weight and potential will ensure that her one shot lead over England’s Melissa Reid and two stroke advantage over seven other players including Scotland’s Carly Booth, Korea’s In-Kyung Kim, America’s McPherson and Sweden’s Iben Tinning is anything but a scanty advantage on a course that can punish the unwary and give up birdies.

Long-hitting Hjorth was able to take advantage of her greater ball flight yesterday. Sophie Gustafson, who played in the group with Ireland’s Rebecca Coakley, was another and she ended the day three shots off the lead.

The Norwegian, ranked 33 in the world, has won five times on the Tour but has a 2010 seasonal best of sixth place, which she earned in the opening LPGA event of the year. She was in no doubt about her driving ability helping to craft the lowest score of the day.

“It definitely does (help). You can have a lot of birdie chances and you can take advantage of being a longer hitter,” said Hjorth.

“A few of the par fives you can reach in two: twelve, seven and on 15, I was on the front edge and three-putted, so I’d say three are reachable.”

While she carded two bogeys in her round, five birdies and an eagle on the long 12th ensured the score set in the morning session was good enough to hold off the later challenges. The morning scoring was stronger than that of the afternoon starters, who had to contend with more showers.

The four Americans nearest the top, McPherson (-3), Angela Stanford and Brittany Lincicome (-1) and Christina Kim on par could all pose threats in the coming days. And with the world number 11, In-Kyung Kim, also posting 69 and tied at third with a cluster of players at three under par, is also well positioned to make the cut today.

The Korean has had a good season so far and has made five cuts from 11 starts, finishing fourth at the US Open and also tying for fifth at the LPGA Championships. But it is Reid who is closest to the leader and her road taken to a 68 was undoubtedly the scenic route.

Her scoring on what were the finishing holes from the fifth to the ninth was a case in point. Reid shot birdie, double bogey, eagle, bogey, par. The front nine was more assured with five birdies and one bogey.

“I felt I putted really well, front nine,” she said. “I didn’t feel I could have done any better than four under front nine, so back nine, I just short-sided myself once, made double and then just a three-putt for a bogey. I’d probably have taken 68 if you’d have given me that on the first tee.

“Paul, my old caddie, used to always say, I was the bounce back queen and then Lee (caddy) has now developed that little nick-name for me. He said to me after the double, it would be nice if we bounced back with an eagle. It was nice to do and you’ve got to do that as a professional. ”

Reid added that she believes that she will need three 68s to be in contention on Sunday. One of the tournament favourites, Suzann Pettersen, finished seven shots back at two over par.

The world number four seemed to indicate that her weekend was shot as she complained of tiredness and a body that was telling her to slow down.

“I’m very tired,” said Pettersen. “My body is not responding to my action and I’m out of gas. It’s just the last eight weeks we’ve been through, I ran out of gas the last day last week and it’s just hard for me to recover now. My body is not responding.”