Lindstrom sets pace in Helsinki

American Kris Lindstrom claimed a one-stroke lead at the Finnair Masters in Helsinki after equalling her best score on the Ladies European Tour.

The 34-year-old from Minneapolis carded a six-under-par 65 in the tournament where she posted a career-best finish of joint third last year.

She leads from Sweden’s Asa Gottmo, Germany’s Martina Eberl and defending champion Virginie Lagoutte-Clement of France.

English teenager Kiran Matharu shot the lowest score of her professional career - 67 – to be fifth.

The tournament’s youngest participant – 13-year-old Filipino Dottie Ardina - finished her bogey-free round on two-under par to share 11th with England’s Felicity Johnson.

Lindstrom overcame two bogeys in three holes to storm up the leaderboard.

“I got off to a rough start but picked it up by the end,” she said.

“I three-putted on the first hole, birdied the next one and bogeyed the next. I enjoy it here and I feel that I can shoot a decent score when I come out.”

Matharu, in her rookie season, has a best finish of joint 10th in 11 starts.

“It went well today, especially on the back nine,” she said.

“I started off with a few good putts for saves and then I started playing better.”