Singapore’s Amanda Tan shot an opening round four under 68 to lead a compact but competitive field in the Ladies European Tour pre-qualifier at the Angkor Golf Resort in Siem Reap yesterday.

Picking up six birdies, four of them between the eighth and 12th holes, Tan more than made up for bogies on holes four and 16.

At the end of the round she led Paige Stubbs, who finished with a one-under 71, by three strokes after the Australian finished poorly from the comfort of five birdies.

But for Stubbs bogeying the 15th and double bogeying the 17th, the duel with Tan would have been a lot closer and far more exciting.

One of few returnees from last year’s qualifiers, Isabella Leung of Hong Kong, produced an even par 72 in third place.

Jackie Chulya of Thailand and Ayaka Nakayama of Japan each shot one-over 73.

Dea Mahendra of Indonesia (74) and Russia’s Vera Shimanaskaya (76) have their work cut out for today’s second round.