Nuria Iturrioz (-4) kicks off the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF in London with a bang. The Spaniard has dazzled on the first day of the tournament held at the Centurion Golf Club with a scorecard of 69 strokes, placing her in third position. Only Leona Maguire (-7) and Sarah Schober (6) have been able to deliver a better result than the Mallorcan after the first 18 holes of the tournament.
The Spaniard has not had the dream start to the season, playing with some irregularity and missing more cuts than desired, a total of six. However, a couple of weeks ago in the Czech Republic the trend began to reverse with a great top 10. Nuria is looking for more order and solidity in this stretch and that’s how she has performed today on a not so easy course like Centurion. This event is a tough test and the proof is that only 16 players have been able to beat the course today.
Fairway, green and two putts was the maxim that the player repeated before starting and, if lucky, try for the birdie. She has done it wonderfully, the proof is that she has only missed two greens in regulation throughout the day. Solidity and consistency.
She started the round on the 10th hole and took advantage of the morning shift to get birdies on the course. Specifically, four hits in the first holes and two more birdie opportunities wasted of just two meters. Iturrioz has nailed it for more than two hours. Then the wind picked up and some rain in London and the Spaniard had no choice but to focus on managing the lead obtained in the first round. She has done so. She added a new birdie on her 13th hole of the day, although a difficult three-putt from more than twenty meters made her commit her only bogey, precisely on the last hole of the day.
The only player to deliver a bogey-free card was the leader, Leona Maguire. Seven birdies without a mistake for a total of 66 strokes (par 73). The Irishwoman only has one top ten this season and is looking for her first win of the year just before the fourth Major of the year, the Amundi Evian Championship which starts in just eight days.
Once again, the tournament organized by the LET is one of the most important events of the year and features great players from the LPGA. The prize purse is $5 million, the highest of the year, Majors excluded. Unfortunately, the World Number One and last year’s champion, Nelly Korda, withdrew from the tournament due to a dog bite. Today, Charley Hull, local heroine, was also forced to withdraw from the event while playing the 6th hole due to a feverish process that was preventing her from performing. A big blow for the organization.
Georgia Hall (-3) is one of the big names who has started well on the first day of the tournament and is already sixth in the standings. The Swedish Anna Nordquist (-2) has also positioned herself within the top ten.
Among the other Spaniards, it is worth mentioning Fátima Fernandez Cano (PAR). The Galician has maintained the great level shown last week with which she almost won in Switzerland. She is at par, within the top 25 and tied with the also Spaniard, María Hernández (PAR).
There was also anticipation to see Marta Martín (+5) who returned to competition after her first victory in LET. She will have to come back on the second day after delivering a scorecard of 78 strokes. The returns to competition after a success like two weeks ago are not easy at all. Teresa Díez Moliner (+1), Paz Marfa (+2), Teresa Toscano (+2), Luna Sobrón (+3) and Mireia Prat (+3) are the rest of the Armada present in London.
In the team section, the one formed by Nuria Iturrioz, María Hernández and the Finnish Komulainen has finished at the top of the table tied with the team led by Leona Maguire and the team of Georgia Hall. Almost nothing. Tomorrow they will seek the victory of a team tournament that closes after the first 36 holes.
