The European Ladies' Team Championship got underway at GC Murhof today.

114 players representing 19 nations teed off on the first of five days of golf in Austria.

The five best stroke play scores out of six over the first two days will decide the top eight teams that qualify for Flight A and have a chance at winning medals in the subsequent match play stages.

France currently lead the way on -16, after carding five scores under-par. Cloe Salort lead the way for the team today, firing a six-under-par 66.

Agathe Laisne, the reigning European Ladies' Amateur Champion, also had a chance to shoot 66 after heading to her final hole on six-under-par. A double-bogey seven on the par-5 9th however, would force her to settle for a four-under-par 68. The 2014 and 2015 champions will be hoping to make up for a disappointing 10th place finish in Portugal last year.

Ireland's Olivia Mehaffey (pictured) shot the lowest score of the day, a seven-under-par 65 that featured eight birdies.

England, who are aiming for a third consecutive win this year, got their title defence off to an excellent start and sit in second place on 13-under-par. 

Last year's Bronze medallists, Sweden, sit in third on 12-under-par, two strokes ahead of last year's runner-up, Italy.

Germany, Denmark, and Ireland stand in fifth, sixth, and seventh place. The hosts, Austria, are tied in the vital eight position, on one-under-par, with Scotland and Spain.

Finland, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic are all within just four shots of eight place with 18 holes left on day two to try and qualify for flight A. 

Full standings: http://scores.golfbox.dk/Shared.aspx?l=http://www.ega-golf.ch/golfbox-result-widget/0&m=t&h=/competition/1635016/leaderboard/1713105