- The local player shines on the first day of competition with a score of six under par and is one of the favourites for the title alongside Carlota Ciganda and Marta Martín.
- Noora Komulainen, seven under par, takes the lead in a thrilling start to the tournament.
Ana Peláez, with a remarkable card of 6 under par, has taken the first step towards the title of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España presented by Oysho held this week at the Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf. The Malaga native has already made her mark after the first 18 holes of competition, placing second tied with Helen Briem and Pranavi Urs. Finland’s Noora Komulainen, with 7 under par, was the sole leader at the end of the first day.
The winner of the Santander Spanish Women’s Professional Championship just a week ago displayed all her arsenal in a magnificent day of golf in which she found her best level. ‘Being from Malaga and being in my city is very special. To be able to enjoy the Malaga public during this week is wonderful and I hope I can maintain the level throughout the tournament’.
A single bogey on the 16th hole was an anecdote in a spectacular round in which Peláez started with six consecutive pars before going straight in at the seventh hole. With a solid and flawless game, the Malaga native made six birdies in a row between the seventh and twelfth holes, which brought the home crowd to its feet. At the end of the day, she commented: ‘At the beginning it was difficult for me to connect with my golf, but after the seventh hole I had a second of calm where I was able to feel a lot of peace and start from scratch’. Regarding his round, he indicated that ‘there is little to improve after such a good round. Perhaps I could have found my rhythm earlier, but with the support of the public and my family, I couldn’t ask for more’.
The star of Spanish golf, Carlota Ciganda, also joined the party. The 5 under par of the Navarrese, two strokes behind the leader, puts her in the fight for a title that she already won in 2021 at Los Naranjos. Her second round of four under par, with two birdies on the last three holes, augurs a special weekend for Spanish golf: ‘It was a good round. You have to be patient on this course. The greens are more complicated in the second round and you always have to be on the right platform to get a birdie, while the first round opens up a few more options. As for his level of play on the day, he commented: ‘My game with the irons was up to par. The distance control has been very good and the putting has also worked, but it’s true that lately I’ve been struggling a lot with the drive.
However, the most outstanding player of the day was Noora Komulainen, who knew how to adapt to the Guadalhorce course right from the start. With five birdies in the first round and three birdies in a row on the 11th, 12th and 13th holes, she made just one bogey on the par four 16th hole and will be looking to make her first appearance this week on the Ladies European Tour.
Germany’s Helen Briem and India’s Pranavi Urs also completed two sensational rounds of six under par. Briem, champion in La Sella in her third tournament on the Ladies European Tour, once again showed off her spectacular punch and is once again a firm candidate for the title despite her young age.
In addition to Pelaez and Ciganda, there were several other Spaniards who played an outstanding role on the first day of competition. Marta Martín completed a great round of four under par and closed the day in eighth position. Meanwhile, Marta Sanz and Harang Lee carded a 69 for three under par, while amateur Paula Marti and Huelva-born Teresa Toscano are in twentieth place with -2.
With 54 holes still to play, the tournament is wide open and promises excitement until Sunday. The course, in perfect condition, and a line-up full of international and national stars ensure that the public will enjoy an unrivalled spectacle at the Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf.
AROUND THE GREEN
Fierce fight for top-10 on the Order of Merit
Maria Hernandez, currently ranked ninth on the European Tour Order of Merit, remains in a fierce battle to stay in the top ten and secure a place in the LPGA Q-Series Final to secure her card for the American Tour. Madrid’s Marta Martin could also join Hernandez in the top ten if she achieves a top-3 finish at this year’s Open.
Hole-in-one prizes on the par threes, courtesy of Malaga Town Hall
The Malaga Town Hall will be present throughout the week on the par threes at Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf, specifically on holes 2, 3, 5 and 17. For all players who manage to get a hole in one between now and Sunday, the Town Hall will be offering a prize of six exclusive nights in the city of Malaga. To date, a total of eight holes-in-one have been achieved in the twenty-two editions of the Spanish Open.