A three-under 70 left Lahinch's Aine Donegan seven shots behind Patricia Schmidt in the Investec South African Women's Open at Royal Cape.
The German made eight birdies and an eagle at South Africa's oldest course and received a round of applause from members after she signed for a 10-under 63.
"Honestly, I didn't even know I'd shot 10 under until I got a high five on the last hole," said Schmidt, who had just 23 putts to forge a two-stroke lead over Denmark's Smilla Tarning Soenderby and Slovenia's Pia Babnik.
"It was just one of those days where you stand behind a putt and read it and just clearly see the line. It's the type of feeling you look for but which is really hard to find. Today it was just there for my putting,"
Donegan had 30 putts as she made an eagle and two birdies against a lone bogey to share 20th place.
Elm Park's Anna Foster birdied three of her last five holes for a 71 that left her joint 35th, while Olivia Mehaffey was joint 51st after a 72.
It was also a low-scoring opening day at the DP World Tour's Volvo China Open, where Spain's Alejandro Del Rey fired a 10-under par 61 to lead by one stroke from local favourite Yanhan Zhou.
The 28-year-old started with an eagle at the 10th, and after following a birdie at the 13th with his lone bogey at the next, he made another eight birdies in the ideal start to his quest for a second DP World Tour. win.
South Africa's Shaun Norris was the next best with a bogey-free 63, while Austria's Bernd Wiesberger was a shot further back on seven under at Shanghai Enhance Anting.
"I definitely didn't see it coming at the beginning of the round," Del Rey said. "It's a tough course, and you have to play well, and I guess we got a little bit lucky with the rain yesterday – it helped, because Monday, the greens were really, really firm.
"We were a little bit worried how it was going to play out throughout the week. Everything felt like it was flowing pretty nicely and I just let one of those low ones come out."
Article Link: Donegan heads Irish challenge in South Africa - News - Irish Golf Desk