First LPGA Tour tournament of her career and first top 10. Well, actually, first top 5. Credit where credit’s due. This is what Carla Tejedo achieved this weekend at the Fortinet Founders Cup. A milestone. Something the major Spanish references did not achieve. Neither Marta Figueras Dotti, nor Carlota Ciganda, nor Azahara Muñoz, nor Beatriz Recari. The four Spanish players who, so far, have at least one win on the American circuit. Spectacular performance by the Castellón-born golfer at the Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club in California.
This is no ordinary result for Carla. Since turning professional she had only played 19 Epson Tour events and one Ladies European Tour event. In other words, this week was the 21st tournament of her career. She had not played in Majors, not even as an amateur. Well, at the first opportunity and with almost all the world’s best in the field, the 24-year-old Spaniard finished in fifth place with rounds of 70, 69, 69 and 70. Extraordinary consistency and steadiness.
On Sunday she faced another test. Up to Saturday she had overcome every obstacle brilliantly, but the final day is a different story. She had to hold on, and hold on she did. Around the greens she put on a show. Absolute grit. She carded four birdies and two bogeys and finished at -10, tied for fifth with Casey Porter, Miyu Yamashita, Minjee Lee, Haeran Ryu, Nada Hataoka and Gaby López. No small feat. Major winners, winners of many LPGA Tour tournaments, Rookies of the Year…
Carla began the year on the LPGA Tour with conditional status. She earned it last year after a sensational season on the Epson Tour. She didn’t win any tournaments, but her consistency allowed her to finish inside the top 15. Once again, she showed she thrives under pressure. She isn’t intimidated. As Carlota Ciganda told her a few years ago during a national team camp when she was an amateur: she had something different, her eyes shone in a special way.
After finishing the fourth round and securing this fifth place, Carla appeared happy, proud and moved. “I wasn’t expecting something like this. My only aim was to enjoy it, to have fun. I’m excited because my parents are here and they have been able to experience it with me. Many tell you that a conditional card is risky because you can miss tournaments on other tours where you do have full status, like the Epson or the LET, but it worked out very well. The best thing is that I don’t have to go to Monday qualifying to play next week in Phoenix”, she said afterwards.
And indeed, this victory opens some interesting doors for Carla. For starters, it puts her in a very good position for the first re-ranking of the year. So well that she could secure entry into all tournaments for the rest of the season. In addition, it opens the door to getting into a Major, one of her objectives this season.
To put what Carla has achieved into proper perspective, here are the results of some of the most important Spanish golfers of recent years in their debut in a regular LPGA Tour event:
– Carlota Ciganda: Missed the cut in Phoenix in 2009.
– Azahara Muñoz: 31st at the Kia Classic in 2009.
– Marta Figueras Dotti: 38th at the Sunster Classic in 1980.
– Bea Recari: 46th at the Kia Classic in 2010.
– María Hernández: Missed the cut at the Jamie Farr in 2009.
– Belén Mozo: Missed the cut at the Safeway in 2009.
– Luna Sobrón: 41st in the Bahamas in 2018.
– Julia López: Missed the cut at the Founders Cup in 2025.
– Carolina Chacarra: Missed the cut at the Meijer in 2025.
What Carla Tejedo has achieved is therefore a result for the history books. It will not be easy to beat.
The tournament victory went to Hyo Joo Kim (-16), by one stroke over Nelly Korda (-15). The American managed to tie for the lead with the Korean midway through the final round, but over the last nine holes Kim managed to tilt the balance in her favour and secure the win from start to finish. She never lost the lead. It is Kim’s eighth victory and her second in this tournament. The first was in 2015.
