Gwladys Nocera leads French Ladies Open
LET News Release
By BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager
European
Solheim Cup player Gwladys Nocera thrilled the home galleries with a five under par 65 to lead after the first round of the Lacoste
Ladies Open de
France.
In
fine conditions, Nocera fired five birdies to end a stroke ahead of
fellow Frenchwoman Celine Herbin at Golf de Chantaco, a scenic course
located between The Rhûne
Mountain and the Atlantic coast in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Aquitaine.
“I
started the day a little bit slow and after a couple of holes I told
myself, you decided to come here, you’ve always wanted to win this
tournament, so get your act
together and play golf,” said Nocera, 40, who played in the Evian
Championship and then The Solheim Cup in Germany last week.
“Sometimes
after two tough weeks like we went through, it’s easy not to give
everything you have because you’re tired, but I really
want to win this tournament and I think in the back of my head it hit
me. I kept on playing better and made a few putts, so it’s really nice
to end the day like that.”
Ladies
European Tour rookie Emily Kristine Pedersen, Marianne Skarpnord,
Cathryn Bristow and Marion Ricordeau share third position on three under
par 67.
European
Solheim Cup team member Azahara Munoz from Spain is seeking to become
the first player to win the Open de France three times in succession and
lies in a group
sharing seventh place on two under par 68, alongside her English
team-mate Charley Hull.
Fellow
Spanish Solheim Cup player Carlota Ciganda was four under through 17
holes but made a quadruple bogey 8 on the last after twice shanking
the ball out of
bounds and she signed for a level par 70.
United States Solheim Cup team
winner Cristie Kerr struggled to a four over par 74 after recording two
double bogeys on the back nine, on 11 and 18.
However, Fiona Puyo from France was all smiles after a hole in one at the 141-yard 12th using her 8-iron. After signing for a two over par 72, she said:
“I didn't see
the ball go in, because the green is uphill, but I heard the cheers
from the crowd and I knew the ball went in!
"I was told it pitched two
yards behind the pin and came back in with the spin.
It's my second hole-in-one: I made one during the 2011 French match
play championship when I was still an amateur. So it's my first one as a
pro."
The
Lacoste Ladies Open de France continues on Friday, followed by a cut to
the leading 50 players and those tied after the second round.
Status:
N/A
|
Labels: LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 5:56:00 pm
<< Home