Ariane Provot Photo Credit: Alex Mitrea
Ariane Provot produced her career best round on the first day of the VP Bank Ladies Open in Gams, Switzerland, to lead by one shot from Spain’s Carmen Alonso.
The Frenchwoman covered each nine in thirty-one shots, producing five birdies a side and no blemishes on her way to a new course record of 62, ten under par. The previous course record was set by Carolina Garcia Gonzalez, who went on to win the 3rd edition of the VP Bank Ladies Open in 2016.
Provot was delighted with her performance on a morning that produced the perfect scoring conditions, with no wind and overcast skies. Just three missed greens for the Frenchwoman in the first round, but twice she managed to produce a birdie: A chip in on the 10th and a long putt on the 15th. On the 13th she managed to save par with a chip and a putt.
“I just really focused on my game, shot after shot. The score is amazing. I only focused on what I am going to do. I am so happy. Words cannot express how I feel at the moment. It is my personal best record and it is also the new course record. It is just great,” she commented.
Alonso was equally as impressive, covering the back nine in just 28 shots and her final six holes in 8 under par, which included eagles on both the 16th and 18th holes., resulting in an impressive 63, nine under par.
“My round was perfect. I played very well from tee 1 on. I made three birdies and two bogeys in the first nine holes, two pars at the 10th and 11th and I finished the round with nearly all threes, which is not bad,” said Alonso.
The best Swiss player in the field of 132 participants is amateur Vanessa Knecht in 27th place after a 2 under par, 70. The Zurich resident, who holds the official course record from the blue tees, with 67 strokes, was able to maintain contact with the extended lead with an opening 70. The young Vorarlberg amateur Julia Unterweger also made an excellent start with a 67, 5 under and a tie for 5th position.
Tournament ambassador Melanie Mätzler, recorded a 73, one over and has a good chance to make the cut on Saturday.
