KELLY Tidy struggled to rekindle the form that earned her a second-place finish last time out, carding a five over par 77 in the opening round of the Kristianstad Ahus Ladies Open in Sweden.

The Bolton golfer had a disastrous start to her second tournament of the LET Access Series – the second tier of the European Tour – dropping five shots in the first three holes.

Tidy recovered with two birdies to hit the turn three over par, but bogeys at the 10th and 11th put her back to square one and a birdie at 13 was wiped out by a third double bogey of the round at the par four 15th.

The 22-year-old former British Amateur champion will at least take confidence from a strong finish that included a birdie on the penultimate hole, which left her seven shots off the pace.

Scottish-born Laura Murray took the overnight lead with a round of 70, the only competitor to go under par in what were testing conditions.