The Spanish Armada has shone in the second round of the FM Championship on a day when Harean Ryu (-13) gave a real golfing masterclass with a scorecard of 62 strokes. Carlota Ciganda (-3), Ana Peláez (-1) and Azahara Muñoz (+2) have made the cut and will play the weekend at TPC Boston. It is the first time this season that the three Spanish golfers have made the cut together in the same tournament.
Korean Ryu put on a show in a festival of ten birdies. Her best round of the season allows her to reach the weekend with a six-stroke lead over the golfers in second place, Bianca Pagdanganan, Robyn Choi and Yelimi Noh (-7). Harean will fight this weekend to lift her second trophy in the LPGA. This season she has eight top tens in less than twenty tournaments and two fifth places in Majors (Chevron and Evian). The 23-year-old player is looking to round off a great year with, at least, one victory.
As far as Spanish interests are concerned, the day could not have gone better. After a discreet group start on the first day, this Friday the three players have taken a big step forward. Carlota Ciganda (-3) went out in the afternoon with the obligation to sign at least the par of the field if she wanted to play in Boston this weekend. The Navarrese went much further and delivered the second best record of the day, logically behind Ryu, with a great scorecard of 67 strokes.
It did not seem to be the day for the Spaniard who stood on the tee of the ninth hole at par, with two birdies and as many bogeys. At that moment Carlota’s round was unleashed and, with five birdies in eight holes, she made a statement and is just one stroke off the top ten. In two hours of play she has gone from fighting to make the cut to getting into the fight for a great result. The Korean has set the bar for victory very high, but second place is four strokes away.
As soon as she finished the round Ciganda seemed almost a little relieved after a great round of golf: “I needed a round like this, I’ve been playing well for a while but without getting the results. In the last ten holes I’ve played very well and I’m happy to get into the weekend. I needed to trust myself, to know that I’m still the same. There are good and bad streaks but you have to keep fighting and working and obviously happy with the result,” Carlota concluded a few minutes after handing in her magnificent scorecard.
Ana Peláez (-1) was the best placed Spaniard after the start and despite a negative final stretch on Thursday the Andalusian went all out this Friday. She started the day from the 10th hole with three consecutive birdies and closed the first round with two strokes under par after adding another success and two bogeys in that stretch. The second half of the course was quieter for the Finca Cortesín player, although a spectacular eagle on her 16th hole put her four under par for the day. A pity the bogey on her penultimate flag that prevented her from sneaking into the top twenty of the tournament.
“I think I’ve played very good golf in these first two rounds, but I honestly think I’m lacking belief. I’m happy, but I feel like I’m playing with some fear and settling for making the cut when my golf was really much better than that,” Ana said at the end of her first 36 holes. She will have the weekend to continue proving the level she has and to look towards the top positions in the tournament.
Azahara Muñoz (+2) was the other big protagonist of the day. The Spaniard started with a round of five under par in the first round. She needed to fly low at TPC Boston to give herself a chance and she did it wonderfully. A round of 69 strokes allows her to make the cut right on the limit. Aza will look to take full advantage of the moving day to gain positions coming from behind. With rounds like today’s, the Andalusian will look to climb in a Race where she is currently in 126th place.
