Screen, Moresco open with 69 to lead Women's Amateur

She’s a long way from Alabama, but after the first round of the R&A's Women's Amateur Championship, a Crimson Tide player has a share of the lead at Royal County Down. Angelica Moresco, an Italian, went bogey free over her closing nine holes and is tied for the lead with Englishwoman Hannah Screen.

Screen and Moresco both opened with 4-under 69. For Moresco, 20, this is her first time playing the event.

“It was a really good day. I started with two early bogeys but I fought back and tried to be patient. I hit some really good shots close to the pins to make the birdies,” she told the R&A. “It’s an honor to be here, playing against the best players in the world and I’m having fun. I’ve played in the Girls Amateur before and I actually love this type of course. It makes me be more creative and shape shots. It’s nice to start well, but there is still a long way to go.”

Moresco was a member of the Alabama team that played its way to the final match of the 2018 NCAA Women’s Championship.

Screen, meanwhile, advanced to the Round of 64 at this event last year. She recently completed her first year at the University of Houston. Teammate Leonie Harm is the defending champion at this event.

“I was hitting the ball great all day and had a lot of looks for birdies on the front nine, but only one putt dropped,” Screen said. “Having my dad, Nick, on the bag as caddy definitely helped me and the back nine was better. I absolutely love the course.”

The winner of this week’s event will earn exemptions into the AIG Women’s British Open, the Evian Championship, next year’s U.S. Women’s Open and next year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Ireland’s Bethan Morris and American Michaela Williams are the next closest players at 2-under 71. Morris had back-to-back birdies on Nos. 17 and 18.

Amelia Garvey, a New Zealander who plays for USC, is among a nine-women group at 1 under.