Five out of five and two out of two. Two full rounds for Marta Martín (-3) in Australia. Two full rounds that put her back in the running for victory on the other side of the world. The Madrid-born golfer is fully engaged in the battle to win the Australian Women’s Classic after handing in a scorecard of 69 strokes on the first day. She will go out this Sunday to play the last 18 holes three strokes behind the lead, shared by Nicole Broch Estrup, Pei Ying Tsai and Jess Whitting, all with -6.
Marta already went out with chances to win last week at the NSW Open and finished third. Now she repeats seven days later. First full round. The second has been on her return. The Bonville Golf Resort in Coffs Harbour, halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, has five par 5s, and the Spaniard has made five birdies. A festival on the shores of the Tasman Sea. She is in eleventh position.
Martín’s great round was only marred by a mistake on hole 12, a double bogey that has left her with a bit more work for Sunday, but it did not take her out of her zone. She is working hard on the mental part and reaps the rewards almost daily. The reaction to that mistake, with two birdies in the last six holes, is a new demonstration.
Marta is not the only Spaniard who has left a door open to victory in the land of the kangaroos. We must also count on Luna Sobrón (-2) and Carmen Alonso (-2), four strokes behind the lead. It is true that there are many golfers ahead, but a great round of golf this Sunday could put them in orbit. Luna signed three birdies and an eagle, while Alonso, who is gradually leaving behind the physical problems that have hampered her at the start of the year, achieved four birdies.
Teresa Díez Moliner (-1) and Teresa Toscano (-1) also made the cut, both with a festival of birdies. No less than ten accumulated between the two Teresas. They still have a lot of margin to do something very interesting this Sunday. María Hernández (+4) has been the downside of the week. She was left out of a cut set at PAR.
Golfers of the stature of Meghan MacLaren, defending champion, Chiara Noja, Anne Van Dam, Johanna Gustavsson or Leonie Harm also missed the cut.
It should be remembered that the tournament has been reduced from 54 to 36 holes due to the tremendous rains that were recorded on Friday and that prevented almost any of the initial round from being played.
