Emma Talley had seven birdies on Thursday while shooting a blistering 6-under-par 67 in the first round of the ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by Modest! Golf Management.
Playing the Galgorm Course in Northern Ireland, Talley started the day with a par on No. 1, but then birdied the next three holes to quickly vault up the leaderboard. She would add birdies on Nos. 7 and 9 while carding a 5-under 32 on the front nine.
Another birdie on No. 13 got her to 6-under and a share of the lead.
Talley’s only misstep came on the par-4 17th hole when she recorded a bogey.
But she came back to birdie the par-5 18th hole to finish at 1-under 35 on the back nine and 6-under for her round.
Only three players bettered Talley in the first round. Chella Choi, Jennifer Kupcho and Gemma Dryburgh all shot 7-under 66s on Thursday.
Talley is alone in fourth place.
Four players are at 5-under, including one of Talley’s playing partners in the first two rounds, Charley Hull.
Talley’s group, which also includes Carly Booth, will play the Massereene Golf Club course in the second round on Friday. That tee time is set for 7:52 a.m. — or 1:52 a.m. Central time.
