There is no point playing in the Solheim Cup six times if you do not learn something from the experience. What Alison Nicholas learnt from her appearances in the biennial match against the women professionals of the United States was that Europe needed not one but two assistant captains.

Thus it was that yesterday Nicholas announced that Liselotte Neumann and Joanne Morley will be filling those positions when Europe play the US at Rich Harvest Farms near Chicago in August next year. Neumann is a former US and British Women's Open champion who lives in the US and was, like Nicholas, a member of six Solheim Cup teams, while Morley played in the match in 1996 and was also involved in a minor role in 2005.

“Their combined Solheim Cup experience will be invaluable and will help to complement my strengths,” Nicholas said. “Lotta is a well-respected player, having competed in six Solheim Cups and been on two winning teams, and Joanne is a very good friend who worked with me behind the scenes when I was vice-captain three years ago.

“I love everything about the Solheim Cup. I am passionate about it. I love the camaraderie that is involved and that it is a team event, which we don't encounter much in women's golf, and I think Lotta and Joanne will be a special help in that regard.”

Yasin Ali, 26, whose father captained the Kenya cricket team in the 1980s, shares the lead with Danny Chia, of Malaysia, and Angelo Que, of the Philippines, in the first round of the Asian qualifying tournament for the Open at Sentosa in Singapore. All three went round in 69, three under par. Four places in the field at Royal Birkdale are available at Sentosa.

Ali's round was far from textbook. Although he had an eagle and six birdies, he also had three bogeys and a double-bogey seven on the 542-yard 18th. “The shots I dropped today were ‘water balls',” he said. “If I can keep out of the water, I should be OK.”

Lloyd Saltman, the Scot who was the leading amateur when he finished fifteenth in the 2005 Open at St Andrews, is in a tie for eighth place on 71, but Rhys Davies, his former Walker Cup team-mate, managed only a 78.