Fátima Fernández Cano always travels with two putters. It’s her way of having her back covered. Something like a backup. If something goes wrong, the substitute comes to the rescue.
Something like that happened last week. She started the season at the Founders Cup of the LPGA Tour with a round of 77 strokes, six over. At first glance, it might seem like everything was a disaster, but she really only struggled on the greens. She recorded 38 putts in the round with three or four three-putts, she recalls. The decision was made. The finger down. As soon as she signed the card, she went to the car, opened the boot, put the putter she had used away and said: “there you stay, think about what you’ve done.”
The next day, with the substitute, the backup, she hit fewer fairways, hit fewer greens and signed for 66 strokes, eleven fewer. She was just short of making the cut. It’s not that she holed many putts, nor very long ones, but at least she didn’t three-putt and made some birdies.
Of course, in the first round of the PIF Saudi International, which started today at the Riyadh Golf Club, she continued as the starter. She earned it. The other one is going to spend some time in the fridge. The result was very positive. A round of 68 strokes, four under par and no bogeys. The Galician started like a shot, with four birdies in seven holes. From there, a halt in the production of successes, but at least she knew how to control the damage and linked eleven consecutive pars. She is in twelfth position, just one stroke off the top 10.
The first round of the PIF Saudi International went against the grain. The wind blew, it wasn’t too strong, but it was felt and, above all, the strangest thing was that it was cloudy all day and it rained. It’s not something you expect in Saudi Arabia, although with each passing year it rains more in those parts of the Arabian Peninsula.
Be that as it may, it was an uncomfortable round and yet very good results were achieved. In theory, Friday and Saturday are not expected to see rain, or very little, and as for the wind, almost none on Friday and a bit more on Saturday. That is to say, tomorrow it’s time to make many birdies to be at the top. As long as the forecast holds, of course.
Thus, the lead after the first 18 holes is held by South Korean Somi Lee (-7), with a one-stroke advantage over German Solheim Esther Henseleit (-6) and English Annabell Fuller (-6). Lee comes from a challenging season on the LPGA Tour in 2024, with only one top 10, but last year she already showed she could do well on this course with a seventh position.
Fátima Fernández Cano is the best Spaniard in a very good showing from ours. Carlota Ciganda (-3) is just one stroke behind the Compostela native. The Navarrese finished with a great birdie on the 18th, a reward for her patience. She played good, solid golf without bogeys. Ana Peláez (-1) also started under par. The Malagueña is eager to make amends in this tournament, where she has missed the cut both times she has played it. Her round was the opposite of Carlota’s: a rollercoaster with five birdies and four bogeys.
Additionally, Luna Sobrón made PAR, Marta Martín +1, María Hernández +3 and Nuria Iturrioz (+5). This Friday, a cut will be made with the top sixty and ties. Right now it’s set at PAR.
Beyond the Spaniards, the best-placed favourites, apart from Henseleit and Carlota, are Chiara Tamburlini (-5), Jeeno Thitikul (-5) or Nanna Madsen (-5). Also, Linn Grant (-2), Charley Hull (-2) or Albane Valenzuela (-2) are not far from the lead. On the other hand, among the day’s upsets, the most notable is Ruoning Yin (+3), the best player in the world in this tournament, Number 3 in the ranking. She will have to fight tomorrow to make the cut. Additionally, a poor start for Helen Briem (+2).
