Birmingham’s Felicity Johnson shot 64 at Emirates Golf Club on Friday, one stroke less than the course record, and took the early lead on seven under par at the Dubai Ladies Masters.

‘It was a great day for golf this morning,’ she said of the perfect conditions. ‘I holed out really well with my putts in, but I had probably seven birdie putts within four feet, so that always makes the game a little bit easier. All the ones I hit close, I converted, so 24 putts. Hitting a lot of good iron shots, you’re going to have a good score.’

The two-time Ladies European Tour (LET) winner began the tournament with a round of 73, but made amends on Friday when she made four birdies on the outward nine. She made another four red numbers on the back stretch and signed for a round of eight under par.

‘I’ll be in a good position for tomorrow. Obviously today, it’s only a three-round event, so you try to put yourself in a good position heading into the final day. I think I did that pretty well,’ she said.

South Africa’s Ashleigh Simon, herself a two-time LET winner, bounced back from two early bogeys to sign for a level-par 72. She was three under par for the tournament and tied sixth going into the final round.