Bad start for SA golfers Reto, Simon

Cape Town - South African golfers Ashleigh Simon and Paula Reto did not have the best of days during the first round of the women's golf tournament at the Rio Olympics.

Reto carded three over par 74 to be tied for 44th position while Simon shot a four over par 75 for 48th place. 

Ariya Juntanugarn of Thailand leads the tournament after she shot an impressive 65. She is one shot ahead of Inbee Park and Seiyoung Kim, both of South Korea.

The tournament takes place over four rounds and ends on Sunday.

Olympic women's golf Round 1 results on Wednesday:

65 - Ariya Jutanugarn (THA)

66 - Park In-Bee (KOR), Kim Sei-Young (KOR)

67 - Carlota Ciganda (ESP), Nicole Larsen (DEN), Candie Kung (TPE)

68 - Lexi Thompson (USA), Azahara Munoz (ESP), Aditi Ashok (IND), Charley Hull (GBR)

69 - Marianne Skarpnord (NOR), Harukyo Nomura (JPN), Caroline Masson (GER), Ursula Wikstrom (FIN), Nanna Madsen (DEN), Gerina Piller (USA), Minjee Lee (AUS), Lydia Ko (NZL)

70 - Shiho Oyama (JPN), Chun In-Gee (KOR), Mariajo Uribe (COL), Brooke Henderson (CAN), Teresa Lu (TPE), Feng Shanshan (CHN), Stacy Lewis (USA)

71 - Catriona Matthew (GBR), Pornanong Phatlum (THA), Tiffany Chan (HKG), Suzann Pettersen (NOR), Albane Valenzuela (SUI), Christine Wolf (AUT), Julieta Granada (PAR), Su Oh (AUS), Gaby Lopez (MEX), Sandra Gal (GER), Anna Nordqvist (SWE)

72 - Alena Sharp (CAN), Lin Xiyu (CHN)

73 - Gwladys Nocera (FRA), Alejandra Llaneza (MEX), Karine Icher (FRA), Yang Hee-Young (KOR), Noora Tamminen (FIN)

74 - Leona Maguire (IRL), Paula Reto (RSA), Pernilla Lindberg (SWE), Fabienne In-Albon (SUI)

75 - Laetitia Beck (ISR), Maria Verchenova (RUS), Ashleigh Simon (RSA)

77 - Stephanie Meadow (IRL), Klara Spilkova (CZE), Giulia Sergas (ITA)

78 - Kelly Tan (MAS), Giulia Molinaro (ITA)

79 - Victoria Lovelady (BRA), Michelle Koh (MAS), Miriam Nagl (BRA), Chloe Leurquin (BEL)

82 - Maha Haddioui (MOR)