Esther Henseleit used an eagle and a chip-in birdie to shoot 70 at Dundonald Links, keeping the proven links specialist in early contention.
Esther Henseleit wasted little time reminding the Women’s Scottish Open field why she’s so dangerous on links courses.
The German opened with a 2-under 70 at Dundonald Links, mixing patience with two explosive highlights to stay within striking distance after Thursday’s early wave.
Jenny Shin set the clubhouse pace at 6-under, but Henseleit’s steady start gave her exactly what she needed: a clean path into the weekend conversation.
The round came alive on the par-5 third.
After reaching the green in two, Henseleit buried an eagle putt from roughly 20 feet and suddenly jumped to 2-under. She added another birdie at the seventh before giving one back at No. 8, making the turn in 34.
That front nine showed the full Henseleit formula. She didn’t overwhelm Dundonald Links with raw power.
She controlled her ball, took advantage of the right opportunities and avoided letting one mistake turn into three.
The back nine demanded even more patience.
Henseleit opened with three consecutive pars before producing her second memorable moment of the day at the par-4 13th, where she chipped in for birdie.
That pushed her back to 3-under and strengthened her position as the wind and uneven lies continued to test the field.
She followed with four straight pars before a closing bogey at the par-5 18th left her at 2-under.
The finish was frustrating, especially on a scoring hole, but it didn’t erase the quality of the round.
Henseleit hit enough fairways and greens to stay out of serious trouble, and when she did miss, she showed the imagination required around links golf’s awkward slopes and unpredictable bounces.
That creativity has become one of her biggest advantages at this event.
Her record backs it up.
Henseleit finished runner-up at the Women’s Scottish Open in 2024 after tying for second in 2023.
Few players in the field have shown the same level of sustained comfort in this tournament, and Thursday’s 70 offered another reminder that her name belongs near the top of any contender list.
The 27-year-old entered the week having made eight cuts in 12 starts this season. She’s also recorded four top-15 finishes, including a tie for ninth at the Ford Championship.
Those numbers point to consistency, but Dundonald Links may offer something more.
Henseleit grew up playing in wind and has built her game around ball control, two traits that become increasingly valuable when Scottish conditions turn difficult.
She’s also comfortable manufacturing shots around the greens instead of relying on one stock technique.
That matters at a course where perfect swings don’t always produce perfect results.
There are still three rounds remaining, and Henseleit will need more birdies to chase down the leaders. But with an eagle, a chip-in and another under-par links round already in the books, she’s once again positioned to make noise at the Women’s Scottish Open.
