Sweden’s Emma Thorngren fired a round of 68 (-3) to top the leaderboard on the first day of the Santander Golf Tour- GIRONA.
On a sunny but cold day at Peralada Golf, it was the morning wave who had the better of the conditions and were able to shoot slightly lower scores.
Thorngren began her day on the 1st tee and had a consistent round of two birdies on the front nine and on the back nine but two bogies on eight and 18 put her at three under par.
“The round was really good,” the Swede said, “I honestly didn’t know what to expect because it’s the first competitive round since Q school.
“I’ve basically been indoors since then so it was a lot of fun and I grew into the round.
“When I started I was a little bit off, somehow I got where I needed to hit it, but on the back 9 I was striking the ball well.”
Thorngren is targeting her first win on the LET Access Series (LETAS) this week.
The 26-year-old previously came close to achieving the feat at the Goteborg Open last year where she finished second.
“To win would be amazing,” she said. “It would be a great start and also to also have some security going forward for the rest of the year. The main goal is obviously top 6.”
“Off season has prepared me well, I worked on my swing quite a lot and I feel like that’s all falling into place.
“My putting, I honestly don’t know why I putted so well today, since I’ve only been inside, the speed on these greens is similar to the mat in my indoor facility.
“The greens are amazing, you see what you get and so I felt like I was reading the greens really well.”
Thorngren is excited to hold off the chasing pack and knows where she needs to focus on for tomorrow.
“Well I almost hit every green except 18.” she said. “18 was really tough today as it was into the wind and really long and I was a little bit nervous then because I knew I had a good round going, so I made a bogie there and then I only had one three put.
“I played 5 as I wanted to, so I’m really proud of that.
“Ball striking is what I’m going to focus on tomorrow, especially from the back 9 and then just keep the confidence in the putting.”
Four players sit in a tie for second after the first day of action in Peralada.
Elena Moosman set the standard in the morning, starting from the 10th hole, she carded eight birdies and two bogies to take the early lead but a drop shot on her last hole set her back.
“I started with a birdie which was really good,” she said. “At first my shots weren’t that good but I figured it out somehow.
“I figured out my swing, it was a solid round I would say, I held some good putts, I’m happy about it.”
The Swiss put down the drop shot to bad luck, rather than nerves and is excited for the chase tomorrow.
“On the last hole, I don’t know how i felt, it was not the best shot but I was just unlucky i would say, it was the same mis-shot i had on the front nine, it came back again- too long and left.”
“For tomorrow, I will not change much. Just a bit of work on the range and do some putting, and then we will see what happens tomorrow.
“If I do win, well, a win will always feel great.
“I didn’t really have a big off-season because of Q school- then I went to South Africa. It was warm weather and great preparation.”
England’s Ellie Gower and Emily Price alongside France’s Charlotte Liautier sit alongside Moosman at two under par.
23-year-old Liautier, who won at the 2021 Santander Golf Tour- BARCELONA, is confident for the chase tomorrow.
“I am happy with today” she said. “I hit the ball correctly and I didn’t make a strategic mistake which is good on a course like this in windy conditions.
“I missed two shots on hole eight and nine which cost me two bogeys but I managed to keep on going.
“Tomorrow I will still focus on my strategy and be aware of the wind.”
Other highlights of the day included a hole in one from the Italian 19-year old amateur rookie Marta Spiazzi.
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