Scottsdale (USA), Jun 16 (PTI) Indian amateur golfer Anika Varma, who is based in the United States, found the going tough on the front side of the Desert Mountain Club's Geronimo course as she shot 1-over 72 and was T-18 after the first day in the Southwestern Women's Amateur Championship here.

Varma, who is also due to play the US Girls Junior Championship in Kentucky next month, had four bogeys, including three on the front side. All three birdies came on the back nine.

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Varma was T-9 at the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship in Abu Dhabi last year.

The leader is Grace Summerhays, who holed eight birdies in her round of 7-under 64. Camille Boyd and Huang Ting-Hsuan shot 68 and were four shots behind in Tied-second place.

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The top 36 and ties go into the final two rounds of the Arizona event from the 72-strong field. The event is being organised by the 107-year-old South-Western Golf Association.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)