The veteran Canadian Maude Aimee Leblanc (-7) has taken command of operations at the Fir Hills Se Ri Pak Championship. For the first time in her career, at 35 years old, she leads a LPGA Tour tournament after a round. She has made 64 strokes at the Palos Verdes Golf Club in California and has a one-shot lead over the American rookie Malia Nam (-6) and two over Yuka Saso, Alison Lee, Madelene Sagstrom and Lauren Hartlage.
Leblanc has been the only golfer able to sign a mistake-free card in this first round. The key has undoubtedly been in her short game and putting. She has hit twelve greens and has been able to make six out of six recoveries, needing only 24 putts. Seven less than Ana Peláez (-1), who is six behind, very well placed in the top 30 of the ranking. It is not difficult to conclude what has been the main difference between Leblanc and Peláez this Thursday.
Notable debut of the Malaga-born player in her official debut in a regular LPGA Tour tournament on American soil. Until now she had played some hybrid tournaments in Scotland and Ireland, valid on both sides of the Atlantic, but the only professional event she had faced in the United States (beyond the Aramco of the Ladies European Tour) was the 2021 US Open, where she missed the cut. Brilliant starting point for Ana, who brings with her caddie Jeff Brighton, a comedy actor who swapped the mic for the golf bag and who worked, among others, for Bronte Law.
The one who has not started on the right foot is Carlota Ciganda (+2). The Navarrese is struggling to get the machinery going at the start of 2024 on the LPGA. So far she has played two tournaments and her best result has been a 39th in Singapore. She did shine on her own, however, at the Florida Aramco. This Thursday, something very unusual for her, she has not achieved any birdie on her card. Her long game has not been devastating, but the main drawback has been on the greens. She has not managed to feel comfortable at any time.
Xiyu Lin (-3) carries the banner of the top 10 in the world in Californian lands. The Chinese golfer, tenth in the world, is among the top ten. The rest have had a difficult start, especially Lilia Vu and Nelly Korda, Numbers One and Two in the world, who have played over par. The cut is provisionally set at +1.
