Vani Kapoor makes a solid start at Vic Open on LPGA

India's Vani Kapoor Thursday produced a solid two-under 71 on her LPGA debut at the ISPS Handa Vic Open, which is co-sanctioned by Australian LPGA and US LPGA.

Vani, who came through the qualifiers and a play-off to get a berth into the tournament that is being played simultaneously with the men's event with equal prize purse, shot 71 with birdies on second, fifth and 13th to lie tied 37th.

The only blemish in her card was a bogey on ninth at the Par-73 Creek Course.

With three Indians figuring in an LPGA Tournament for the first time ever, Aditi Ashok (73) at the Par-72 Beach Course was T-108th and Diksha Dagar had six-over 78 on the Beach Course.

England's Felicity Johnson, twice an Australian PGA pro-am winner in regional Victoria in recent weeks, brought home a bogey-free course-record 64 on the Creek Course.

She hit 17 greens in regulation, birdied three of the par-5s and had a lot of gimme birdies.

Her score late in the day eclipsed long-time leader Su Oh, while Canadian Anne-Catherine Tanguay and American Kim Kaufman later joined the Melburnian at six under par.

Oh was the instigator of the low scores with a spectacular hole-in-one with a six-iron from 149m on the Creek Course 15th hole, the sixth of her round of 67.

Of the pre-tournament favourites, Georgia Hall finished at three under, while Minjee Lee was at one under, both on the Creek Course.