Sorenstam has the edge in Scandinavia

Annika Sorenstam made a strong start at the Scandinavian TPC, a tournament she hosts on the Women’s European Tour.

The world number two shot a six-under-par 66 in wet conditions to lead by one from England’s Johanna Head and Italy’s Anna Rossi at Frosaker Golf & Country Club in Vasteras.

The 37-year-old, who will quit tournament golf at the end of the year, is playing her last event in her native Sweden.

She gave the home galleries reason to cheer with six birdies on the front nine, which she played as her inward half.

After opening with 10 regulation pars, she stepped up a gear with four birdies in a row from the par four second hole.

After knocking in another at the par-five eighth, she chipped in for a final-hole birdie at the ninth, a tough par-three which plays from an elevated tee.

Head, who bases herself in Orlando, Florida, posted five birdies on the front nine, coming back with two birdies and two bogeys.

She was seven-under-par after 16, but bogeyed the last two holes, missing the green on 17 and then hitting her drive into the water on the par-four 18th.

She said: “It was a good score because of the rain – it was quite tough.

“I was a little bit disappointed as I was seven-under and bogeyed the last two holes.

“I finished the front nine at five under and then it started raining quite heavily on the back nine.”

Head was hoping to spend some time with her twin sister Samantha over the four weeks she is spending in Europe, but the latter had to withdraw from this week’s event due to tonsilitis.