Carlota Ciganda (-6) has taken the lead in the Aramco Team Series by PIF in Tampa, in Florida. The golfer from Navarra has handed in a card of 66 strokes and has taken command of operations tied with Welsh Chloe Williams, Swiss Kim Metraux and American Marina Alex. Two strokes behind, within the top 10, is Madrid’s Marta Sanz (-4). They are the two best Spaniards after the first 18 holes at the Feather Sound Country Club course.
Carlota has reactivated what could be known as Aramco mode. Every time she steps into a tournament directly sponsored by the Saudi oil company, the Ulzama player manages to bring out the best in herself. The data is irrefutable. In the seven Aramco tournaments she has played so far, her record is one victory, one second place and four top 10s. Her worst result in the last four Saudi tournaments was an eleventh in Hong Kong.
It is clear that Carlota shines on her own in these tournaments and surely much has to do with the team competition format. Although it is not the same, not by a long shot, it is not necessary to remember how the Spanish woman performed in the last Solheim Cup. It motivates her especially.
Carlota has displayed a sensational stroke this Friday. She has signed eight birdies and two bogeys. Her round has been perfectly divided into two parts. The first nine holes have been spectacular, with a partial of five under, three less in the first four, and then she has finished with another three almost consecutive birdies from 14 to 17 to erase the two bogeys from 12 and 13. Remember that the tournament is played over three days, so it is vital to start well.
Great start also for Marta Sanz (-4). The Madrid woman has brought out her best golf, with five birdies and a solitary bogey. She needed to give herself a joy of this kind in the form of a result. The El Race golfer assures that she had a blast. “It was very pleasant, we had a great time, there was a certain flow and I let myself go,” she assured TenGolf just after finishing her round. It is her best round of 2024, a performance she hopes to use as a turning point.
Similarly, they have started with good under par results Ana Peláez (-2), María Hernández (-2), Teresa Toscano (-1) and Fátima Fernández Cano (-1). The Galician woman was very happy with her game, although she left immediately after finishing to the practice field to try to polish some mistakes she had made from shots that went more to the left than desired. Meanwhile, Teresa admitted that she had greatly enjoyed the experience of her first Aramco.
On the other hand, Nuria Iturrioz (PAR) and Carmen Alonso (PAR) are still well involved in the fight, although they will need a good gear change on Saturday to be able to get into the fight. In any case, it is an outstanding collective start of the Armada.
As for the team competition, which ends tomorrow, Marta Sanz and Fátima Fernández Cano occupy with their respective teams the sixth position, four from the lead, while Carlota’s team is six from the top.
