ENGLAND'S Kirsty Taylor stepped out of her sick bed to finish one shot off the early pace as stiff winds and a soggy course sent scores sky high in the first round of the Donegal Irish Open at Letterkenny.

Playing the course for the first time, the 28-year-old former Curtis Cup player from Clitheroe sank a 30-foot birdie on the 18th hole to join Austria's Natascha Fink at the head of the leaderboard on level-par 71 before Wendy Dicks nipped in to fire 70.

"I had to pull out of the pro-am because I was so sick and I felt really washed today," said Taylor.

"But I trusted my caddie and I'm delighted with the score. It's a really tricky course and very wet. There are a couple of par fours where I needed a wood for the second shot.

"Also the fairways are narrow and the rough is very deep. Sometimes you're just happy to be able to hit a wedge out." Chorley's Lora Fairclough scored 75.

Pleasington pro Ged Furey broke the course record at Crompton and Fairhaven in the PGA North Region Ladies' Pro-Am with a round of 63. Wilpshire's Simon Townend and Burnley's Simon Eaton both fired 68.

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