Carlota Ciganda started at 10:22 from the tee of hole one at Le Golf National. The start of the Olympic Games was soon uphill for the Spaniard. Carlota enjoys defending the national colours like no one else, but she began her journey in her third games with a tough partial of +4 in the first ten holes. A great final comeback allowed her to sign a card of 73 strokes, a gap among the 26 best in the tournament and keeps the options intact.
Nothing was going right for the Spaniard at the start. Her game was a roller coaster and this was reflected in her card with six bogeys, two birdies and two pars. She was not playing badly from the tee, but two three-putts and some poorly executed irons from the rough condemned the Spaniard beyond the 45th position and far from the coveted medal.
The Spaniard analysed her first nine holes in this way: “I started well in the first three holes although it was a pity the three-putt on hole two and it is true that from four to eight it has cost me, I have missed some more fairway and this course penalises that a lot”. However, if there is one thing the Spaniard knows how to do, it is to fight, fight and fight.
From hole 11 the round began to stabilise and with three consecutive pars the Navarrese stopped the haemorrhage. At the tee of 14 everything changed. Carlota stepped forward and put on her work suit. Great start at the par five and from there she began to build her particular comeback. Three birdies in four holes have put her among the 25 best in the tournament and just three strokes from the result that currently marks the bronze. With 54 holes ahead, Carlota keeps the dream of winning a medal intact.
“In the second round I have calmed down, I have managed to get more greens and I have finished very well with those three birdies in the final stretch so I am happy and waiting to see what happens tomorrow” analysed Carlota. She then took pride in what happened in the last eight holes: “I am proud of my comeback. I give it my all, I fight to the end. Playing for Spain, playing for something bigger than you encourages me to do my best”.
The reality is that today the Spaniard has generated numerous opportunities, only Boutier has made more birdies than her. If the Navarrese is able to maintain that ability to produce, takes advantage of the par fives as she did this Wednesday and minimises mistakes, have no doubt that Carlota will fight for the medals.
