Fátima Fernández Cano (-11) can now safely store the card she signed this Friday at the Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia, during the second round of the Aramco Team Series. The Spanish golfer shot 62, ten under par, her best round by far in the Ladies European Tour and just one stroke away from matching the lowest in the circuit’s history. It was ten flawless birdies to not only get into the fight for victory but also into the star match alongside Pia Babnik (-14) and Charley Hull (-12).
The cold, hard result says that the difference between Fátima’s round on Thursday and Friday was nine strokes (71 compared to 62), however, the reality is that in terms of feelings and tee-to-green play, it wasn’t that much. The Galician golfer herself tells Ten Golf that the main variation was on the greens. “Yesterday it was 32 putts and today they went in. It wasn’t much more. I played very solidly, but the first day too,” she points out.
Everything changed on hole 4 this Friday. She played like clockwork in the first three of the day, with chances from three to five meters that didn’t want to go in. Back to square one, it was tempting to think about what happened the day before. However, on hole 4, the story was rewritten. She holed a rather long putt and suddenly, the waters of the Red Sea parted. She signed two more birdies on holes 5 and 6, about two and a half meters, and a fourth consecutive one on 7 from about six meters. The round was already underway.
Far from pulling the handbrake, Fátima kept her foot firmly on the accelerator. She started the back nine with three more consecutive birdies, added another on 14, and sealed the round with two more on 16 and 17, for a sensational 30-stroke back nine from 10 to 18. It’s curious because she didn’t even need to smash the par 5s to deliver such a round. Quite the opposite. Her score on the long holes is two under par in 36 holes, below what she accumulates on par 3s or par 4s. Until now, her lowest round in the LET had been 66 strokes, in the first round of the Italian Open this year.
As it stands, Fernández Cano will have the opportunity this Saturday to win her first tournament on the Ladies European Tour. The competition, obviously, is fierce. Babnik, who shot 65 today, already won this tournament in 2021, although it was held on another course, and Charley Hull needs no introduction, she is the big favourite, period. They will be two tough rivals to crack.
Also in the fight for victory is Luna Sobrón (-11). The Mallorcan, who took the lead after the first round, shot 68 today, with four birdies and no bogeys. She only has one blemish on her card in 36 holes. She is also seeking her first victory on the Ladies European Tour. Two Spanish bullets in the chamber. Interestingly, both have played together, forming a team. Fátima, as captain, chose Luna, and they have been feeding off each other wonderfully.
Also in double digits are Helen Briem (-10), who will still have something to say, Nastasia Nadaud (-10), and Nicole Broch Estrup (-10). This should be the line of candidates for victory this Saturday unless one of those further back comes up with a Fátima-style card. Remember, the tournament is three days long.
In that group of players who could have a chance with a very, very low round is Carlota Ciganda (-6), who stalled today with an even-par round. The Navarrese occupies the twelfth position. Further back are Carmen Alonso (-3), María Hernández (-2), Ana Peláez (-2), and Nuria Iturrioz (PAR). Marta Martín and Marta Sanz missed the cut.
In the team competition, the Swiss Chiara Tamburlini, leader of the order of merit, won alongside Mimi Rhodes, an English golfer raised in Andalusia, and the French Anne Charlotte Mora.
