The Baobab course at Vipingo Ridge does not disappoint. Whether it’s par 72, as in the first two editions, or par 73, the last two. The demand is always high and the wind inevitably ends up wreaking havoc. This Thursday marked the first day of the Magical Kenya Ladies Open, or in other words, the first day of the Ladies European Tour season and only 15 players managed to beat the course. And just barely…
It’s the best first day of the four years this tournament has been held on this course, at least in terms of under par cards. In 2019 there were twelve, in 2022 they were down to four and in 2023 there were eleven. The first leaders of the LET year are Englishwoman Eleanor Givens (-4), Irishwoman Lauren Walsh (-4) and South African Cara Gorlei (-4). Each with their own story.
None have managed to win yet on the LET. Givens is a veteran with over 150 tournaments under her belt and a fifth place in Switzerland in 2021 as her best result, Gorlei has only played eight tournaments on the European circuit and her best position has been a 55th and Walsh, the youngest (23 years old), is playing her second tournament on the LET. In her debut in Switzerland last year she just missed the top 10. All of them have a one-shot lead over Italian Alessandra Fanali, Northern Irishwoman Olivia Mehaffey and Dane Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen.
Ten Spanish women are participating in this LET debut in Kenya and none were able to beat the course this Thursday. Still, the rounds of María Hernández (PAR), Marta Martín (PAR), Paz Marfá (+1), Ana Peláez (+1), Luna Sobrón (+2) and Nuria Iturrioz (+2) can be considered a good start. All of them have the right to look up. Both Marta and María had very eventful rounds, with five birdies and five bogeys and four and four, respectively. But for movement, Peláez’s round, with an eagle, two birdies, a double bogey and three bogeys.
Similarly, it’s worth highlighting the start of Luna Sobrón. The Balearic was comfortably and powerfully two under par with six to go. Her round has twisted with a four over par between holes 13 and 16. In any case, she made it very clear this Thursday that she can perfectly beat the Baobab. A show of race for Iturrioz. The player from Son Servera has started the year with a full-blown slap. First hole of the season and a Michelin man to boot. A painful ‘8’ from which she has managed to recover in an extraordinary way. From there, a two under par, another demonstration that she can perfectly beat this African course located on the Indian Ocean coast.
Worse starts, although with more than enough margin, were those of Marta Sanz (+3), heavily punished with three three-putts, and Fátima Fernández Cano (+3), whose round was similar to Nuria’s. She started with a +3 in two holes and from there she signed the par. Finally, the ‘Teresas’, Toscano (+5) and Díez Moliner (+6), will have to improve a lot in the second round to make the cut.
