CLICK HERE FOR THE LEADERBOARD AIS Rookie Professional Rebecca Flood secured a start in the RICOH Women&aposs British Open but finished at 5-over par following the first round at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. But Flood was not alone in finding the conditions tough as she is tied at 90th in a large group which includes fellow Australians Lindsey Wright and Frances Bondad and American Morgan Pressel. The Coonabarabran local was the first alternate in the field after she missed out on an automatic spot in a play-off in final qualifying. There was plenty of good news for the Australians with Queensland&aposs Katherine Hull tied for the lead at 4-under par with 2010 Handa Women&aposs Australian Open champion Yani Tseng (TPE). The pair led by one shot from Anne-Lise Caudal, Amy Yang, Brittany Lincicome and Sun Young Yoo. Hull, the 2009 ANZ Ladies Masters champion, dropped a shot at the par-three fourth hole but picked up shots at the seventh and ninth for an outward nine of 34. She moved within two of the leader with a birdie at the 10th and then eagled the 18th at around 8pm.