Great start for Carlota Ciganda (-5) at the PIF London Championship, a tournament on the Ladies European Tour sponsored by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, featuring both individual and team formats. The tournament is being held at the Centurion Club in the capital of England.
Carlota carded a 68 (the course is a par 73). She started in the best possible way, with a sensational eagle on the first hole of the day. She made four more birdies on holes 6, 8, 11, and 13, shooting up the leaderboard to take the lead. A bogey on the 16th hole dropped her one position, but her chances remain very much intact. She has put herself in contention for the win.
Ciganda is one shot behind Alexandra Swayne (-6), a player from the Virgin Islands, and Germany’s Laura Fuenfstueck (-6). She is tied with Chiara Tamburlini (-5), last year’s LET Order of Merit winner, and has a one-shot advantage over a group of five players, including, interestingly, Mimi Rhodes (-4), the current leader of the tour’s Order of Merit.
Carlota is chasing her second victory of the season, following her win on the LPGA Tour, and her first on the LET since the Spanish Open, which she brilliantly won last year at the Real Guadalhorce Golf Club. Let’s remember she is coming off a poor week at the British Open, where she was far from making the cut. There’s no better way to shake off bad feelings than with a performance like this.
The golfer from Ulzama has distanced herself from the other top favourites for the win. With the last-minute withdrawal due to an ankle injury of Charley Hull, the main contenders for the win, besides the Navarrese, are Celine Boutier (-2), Georgia Hall (PAR), and Patty Tavatanakit (+1).
The rest of the Spanish participants in this PIF London Championship are somewhat behind the leaders. Their primary goal should be to make the cut tomorrow after the second round with the top 60 and ties. Currently, María Hernández, Teresa Toscano, and Marta Sanz are in a good position, all with a score of PAR, in 37th place. Their rounds have followed the same pattern: many birdies and also some big mistakes. Also within the provisional cut is Luna Sobrón (+1), but from there, it will require a strong effort: Marta Martín (+2), Blanca Fernández (+3), Fátima Fernández Cano (+5), Nuria Iturrioz (+6), and Carmen Alonso (+6).
In the team classification, the best Spaniard is Teresa Toscano, who shares a team with Georgia Hall, and they are in fifth place. Meanwhile, Ciganda’s team is at -13, three shots behind the leading quartet led by the French player Nadaud (-16).
