A pair of even par rounds lead the 95th Iowa Women’s Amateur Championship being held at Ankeny’s Otter Creek Golf Course.

Cedar Rapids’ Sierra Hargens and West Des Moines’ Paige Hoffman posted 71 to take an early lead in this year’s championship. Both players admitted the wind was tough to handle during their round.

“I started off bogey-bogey,” Hargens said. “I hit a couple bad iron shots. I was tense and winning this event last year I felt (early on) like I had to play perfect. I settled down after a little bit. I tried to pay good attention to the wind. I actually clubbed down (on some holes). I just played my game.”

Hoffman also commented that wind was a factor in today’s play.

“You definitely had to think about (the wind) it on every shot,” Hoffman said. “The course played completely different that it normally does. It played longer today I thought. It seemed the holes that were already short, were downwind. I made some long putts and my lag putting was good.”

Ames’ Joy Chou sits just a shot off the lead, shooting 72 (+1) today.

Waterloo’s Kelly Nelson leads the Open Division following a round of 78 (+7). Janece Schwartzkopf, of Stuart, gives chase, just a shot back of Nelson in the three-day event.

Click here for a full recap of scoring.