(Oslo, August 1 2002) England’s Samantha Head upstaged some of the top players in the world to take a two shot lead after the first round of the £220,000 P4 Norwegian Masters in glorious unbroken sunshine at Oslo GolfKlubb.

The 29-year-old, who is now based in Madrid, rattled off an error free course record 66 around this tricky and undulating course beside the glorious banks of Lake Bogstad on the fringe of the Capital.

Taylor – nine one putt greens

Taylor rattled off five birdies and one bogey in her 68, taking most of her chances with nine one putt greens on her way around.

The 31-year-old from Clitheroe began on the back nine and started on the wrong foot with a bogey at the 14th. Birdies from ten and fifteen feet at the 15th and 16th respectively saw her turn in 35.

A good sand save produced birdie at the par five second hole, adding more birdies at the third from 25 feet and the sixth from 20 feet.

“I like those ones,” laughed Taylor, who had been practising in Pro Ams over the last five weeks away from the Tour.

“I had a lot of chances today and those nine one-putts certainly helped. This is a great course, great set up. I love playing these old style courses and this is set up very well.”

England’s Laura Davies got to three under par with five to play before squandering shots at the fifth, and eighth, sandwiching them with a double bogey at the seventh to fall back to one over par for the day.

“I was playing well all the way around, cruising and then bang, paid the ultimate penalty after picking a couple of wrong clubs,” said Davies.

Davies’ playing partner and local favourite Suzann Pettersen struggled to a three over par 75 having missed a succession of short putts and Sweden’s Carin Koch, the third member of the group slumped to a five over par 77.