Walsh starts well as Mehaffey struggles on day one of LET Q-School in Morocco

Castlewarden’s Lauren Walsh got her bid for a Ladies European Tour card off to an excellent start when she opened with a four-under 69 at the final stage of Q-School in Morocco.

The former Wake Forest star (23) made five birdies and a bogey at Al Maaden Golf Marrakech to share 13th place in the battle to finish in the top 20 and ties who will be awarded cards after five rounds.

But it was a much tougher day for Banbridge’s Olivia Mehaffey (26), who made three birdies, two bogeys and two double-bogeys in a three-over 76 at Royal Golf de Marrakech to share 106th place.

The former Curtis Cup star lies three shots outside the top 65 and ties who will qualify for the fifth and final round but still has three more rounds to move up the leaderboard.

Mexico’s Fernanda Lira fired a course record, 11-under 62 at Al Maaden Golf Marrakech to lead the Final Qualifier by three shots. 

She began her round with a birdie on the first before rolling in an eagle on the fourth and then adding another eagle on the seventh.

Immediately after her second eagle, she rolled in three birdies on the trot from the eighth before adding back-to-back birdies at the 12 and 13th before making her final birdie on the 16th hole.

The 28-year-old’s women’s course record gave her a three-shot lead after the first day.

Lira, who will tee it up at Royal Golf de Marrakech in the second round, finished second at last week’s Pre-Qualifier at Samanah Golf after a final round 65.

“I think that fed into today,” she explained. “I knew I was playing good. I know it’s a long way to go, but it’s nice to have an 11-under to start.

“I’ll try to do it again when I’m back here again.”

Spain’s Luna Sobron Galmes and Slovenia’s Ana Belac sit in a share of second place after they both carded rounds of eight-under 65 at Al Maaden.