- Ciganda, with a solid -11 total, leads the standings after a brilliant second day free of bogeys
- María Hernández and Luna Sobrón, who are in the top-10, maintain their chances of winning the title at the weekend
Carlota Ciganda has moved to the top of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España presented by Oysho after a spectacular second day at the Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf, signing a brilliant card of 66 strokes (-6) for a cumulative score of -11. Ciganda, who is looking for her second title in this tournament after her victory in 2021 in Los Naranjos, offered a solid and error-free performance. In her own words: ‘It was the best round of the season. Both today and yesterday, I’m playing very solid. It’s been a long time since I’ve made so many birdies and so few bogeys’.
Ciganda took advantage of the first round of the course, with birdies on holes 2, 4, 6 and 7, and kept up the pace in the second with key birdies on the 12th and a spectacular putt on the 16th. She highlighted the difference between the two halves of the course: ‘I think the first round is a little shorter, and that’s where I’ve taken my chances. I have the feeling that I play a lot more wedges in the first round and that’s where I’ve been getting the advantage I needed’. She also thanked her caddie, Javier Erviti: ‘It helps a lot to have a caddie who has been a player, who understands a lot about golf and who knows what to say to you, especially on the greens. We are understanding each other very well and that is reflected in the results’.
In second place, one stroke behind, is the Slovenian Pia Babnik, who continues to show why she is one of the great promises of European golf. With a card of 67 strokes, Babnik has a cumulative total of -10 thanks to her solid game and her precision on the greens. The provisional third place is shared by Germany’s Helen Briem and India’s Pranavi Urs, both with -9, who played a very high level of golf to stay in the fight for the title.
The Spanish contingent also left its mark on the day. Maria Hernandez, with a brilliant round of 66 strokes, is tied for fifth with a cumulative score of -7, demonstrating an excellent adaptation to the course of Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf. After finishing her round, the Spaniard highlighted her feelings: ‘I have fulfilled in all aspects of the game. I’m happy with how the adjustments I made to my swing are going. Maybe it wasn’t the best time to try them, but they are working, and that gives me confidence for the weekend. Hernandez, with a solid and consistent golf, is positioned as one of the great hopes of the Spanish team in this tournament.
Luna Sobrón also shone with an outstanding round of 66 strokes. The player from Mallorca made four consecutive birdies from the 13th hole onwards, which allowed her to climb up the leaderboard and stay in the fight for the title. Her aggressive and efficient game is an example of her ability to perform at the important moments.
Among the other Spaniards, Marta Sanz and Marta Martín managed to place twelfth with a total of -5, showing great consistency throughout the tournament. In the amateur contingent, Carla Bernat and Paula Martin excelled with rounds that left them at -4 overall, tying for the top-20 alongside Ana Peláez, while Andrea Revuelta stayed close behind with -3, completing a solid performance. Martín, showing great maturity in her game, commented: ‘It’s been a day of ups and downs. I made two double bogeys, but I’m happy with my overall level. If I keep playing like this, I think I can have a good weekend’.
With the excitement building and 36 holes to go, the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España presented by Oysho is heading for an exciting weekend. The Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf has established itself as a spectacular venue, with a course that is challenging the best players on the Ladies European Tour and leaving its mark on the local and international public. With the backing of a dedicated fan base, who not only support the Spanish talent but also enjoy the great international stars, this tournament promises a vibrant closure full of unforgettable moments.
AROUND THE GREEN
Bardo Foundation and its support to the Norwegian Dorthea Forbrigd
During the second day of competition, a group of young Norwegian golfers stood out among the audience present at the Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf. Friends since childhood and representatives of different golf clubs in Oslo, these players have been able to fulfil their dream of witnessing, for the first time, a Ladies European Tour tournament thanks to the support of the Bardo Foundation, a non-profit organisation that fights against osteosarcoma (a type of cancer that affects bone-forming cells) and provides support to those who suffer from it. In addition, the Bardo Foundation, sponsor of golfer Dorthea Forbrigd, reaffirms its commitment to unite sport and solidarity in meaningful causes.
Carmen Alonso and her love affair with the Spanish Open
Of all the participants in the competition, one of them stands out above all, and she goes by the name of Carmen Alonso. The golfer from Valladolid is the only one to have played in 21 of the 22 editions held to date, two of them as an amateur, an impressive streak that was only frustrated in 2020, when an untimely injury prevented her from playing at the RCG Guadalmina.