Charlotte Laffar couldn’t have asked for a better start at the 2025 ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open. Despite opening with a bogey, the 32-year-old Englishwoman bounced back brilliantly to shoot a six-under 66 on Thursday at Dundonald Links, giving her the solo lead after the first round.

“I started with a bogey actually, but sometimes it goes that way,” Laffar said with a smile. “You relax into it. I holed some great putts, and I hit my driver the best I’ve hit it for a long time.”

Laffar rolled in back-to-back birdies on holes 3 and 4, added another on the 7th to turn at two-under, then caught fire on the back nine — making four birdies in five holes between 10 and 14. A bogey on 15 didn’t rattle her, as she drained a 20-footer for birdie on 17 to cap off a confident performance.

“It’s nice to see I can still shoot low,” said Laffar, who returned to the Ladies European Tour (LET) in May after four years away to raise her sons, Freddie and Oscar. “Even with a couple of bad shots, I kept it going. Don’t get me wrong — I got some lucky bounces, but that’s golf. That’s what happens when you’re having a good day.”

Her husband David is on the bag this week, and their children are in Scotland, too, being looked after by grandparents. For Laffar, the vibe now is very different from her earlier playing days.

“I’ve got no pressure at all,” she said. “Golf used to be everything, but now my children are my world. This has become more like a working hobby. I’m just enjoying every moment and showing the kids how Mum used to play.”

With only two to three days a week to practice, Laffar said she’s become much more efficient — and it’s paying off. “I use that time so much more wisely now. I’m more focused and having more fun with it.”

Chasing pack stays close

Five players sit one shot back at 5-under-par, including Ireland’s Leona Maguire, Japan’s Rio Takeda, Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz, England’s Lottie Woad, and Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol.

Maguire had a dream start, holing out for eagle with a 9-iron on her very first hole (the par-4 10th) en route to a bogey-free 67.

“I couldn’t really ask for a better start,” she said. “It’s always a bonus when those go in.”

Woad, the newly crowned KPMG Women’s Irish Open champion, made a smooth professional debut with six birdies and just one bogey, calling it a “pretty stress-free” round.

“I think the experience from playing in majors and contending helped a lot,” she said. “I just tried to play my game.”

Iturrioz also impressed with a steady 67, her only blemish a three-putt bogey on the 1st hole. “The conditions were calm early, so I knew I had to take advantage. Everything was working well.”

Yubol matched the 67 with a birdie-filled back nine after an even-par front nine. “My putter worked really well today,” said the Thai player. “The sun was out, and it made me so happy.”

Crowded leaderboard

There’s no shortage of contenders, with 10 players just one stroke further back at four-under, including world number one Nelly Korda.

Round two tees off at 7:30 a.m. local time Friday, with the top 65 players and ties making the cut after 36 holes. With scores bunched up and calm conditions expected to continue, it’s shaping up to be an exciting weekend at Dundonald Links.