Stephanie Meadow failed to hit the ground running on Day One of the Olympic Women’s Golf and finished with a six-over-par 78 to leave herself in an uphill battle for a medal.
The Jordanstown woman bogeyed at the second, fourth, fifth, seventh and ninth in a difficult start with just one birdie at the 18th, overall leaving the Team Ireland golfer some 13 shots off home favourite Celine Boutier at the summit.
Boutier, who delivered a stunning seven-under-par 65 to set the pace and take a three-shot lead, will take some catching for Meadow, who also lost ground on the 10th and 12th holes at Le Golf National before a steady finish to the day’s proceedings.
Despite a tough opening, though, Co Antrim’s Meadow has enjoyed playing on the Olympic stage and paid tribute to the large watching audience that turned up.
“Being in the first group, there were tons of French out there, some Belgians and quite a few Irish were behind me,” she said.
“It was great to have the support behind me and really for women’s golf to play in front of crowds like that.”
Meadow’s Ireland team-mate Leona Maguire likewise finds herself battling for position after also carding six-over on the first day.
The Cavan woman double-bogeyed the opening hole and struggled in the front nine, which included a triple-bogey at the ninth, but she steadied the ship to finish level with Meadow, joint 50th on the overall leaderboard.