Pasqualle Coffa of the Netherlands used the best of the morning conditions to make a strong start to the Terre Blanche Ladies Open.
With the tournament being shortened to 36 holes, after wind stopped play yesterday, the 26-year-old produced a round of 68 to finish at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the first round on four-under-par.
Coffa, who didn’t start playing the sport until she was 16, had a tricky start to the round carding three bogeys on holes 13, 15 and 16 but a birdie on the 17th followed by an eagle on the 18th put her back on track.
Four consecutive birdies to finish her round put the Dutch golfer one shot in front going into the final day, where the top 72 players will play.
“Yesterday, I started off all right,” Coffa said. “I still made some bogeys and some mistakes. I did realise that everyone would make mistakes because of the conditions.
“When we had to leave the course, it was a pity because I was excited to hit that shot into the green, as I had 157m into the pin. I went to bed thinking about the shot all night.
“We got back to the course today, the wind was less, and I thought I need to hit a bit more club now. I made an eagle which was a very nice start, it wasn’t a difficult shot. Then I went to a very solid back nine and hit some very close tap-in birdies.”
With a slender one-shot lead heading into the final day, the Dutch player knows she will have to play well to maintain her lead.
She explained: “The change of conditions helped today; I think it was much easier now than in the wind. However, I kind of felt like I am good in the wind, I wanted to finish the round yesterday but I’m sure it will help me better to play in good conditions. I’m happy to finish strong.
“I’ve been trying some new stuff out with my coach, aiming more for the pins, not being scared and just going for it. Going into tomorrow, I want to do the same plan, focusing on shot by shot and getting myself in that same mode as I was today.
“This is my first LETAS tournament this year so it’s exciting! I’ve never won before as a professional, so to win would be huge, but I know that if I just focus on what I am doing now, I have a good chance.”
France’s Emie Peronnin and French amateur Louise Uma Landgraf sit in second place on three-under-par after 18 holes at Golf de Terre Blanche.
Peronnin, who won the Anna Nordqvist Vasteras Open in 2019, fired a round of 69 (-3) to put herself in a strong position going into Saturday.
The 28-year-old rolled in birdies on four and eight but a dropped shot on the ninth, however that didn’t put the French player off as she added two more birdies on 10 and 12.
“Tomorrow, I plan to do exactly what I did today, focus on every shot and play my game,” Peronnin said.
“Technically, it was a good day; although the play being slow did not help, as I had to warm up between each hole.
“To win in France, or to win anywhere would be amazing. It’s been a while since I last got my professional win.”
Spain’s Teresa Diez Moliner sits in fourth place after carding a round of 70 (-2), there are five players are tied for fifth position with Swiss duo Elena Moosmann and Vanessa Knecht, French pair Agathe Laisne and amateur Sara Brentchenef, and Sweden’s My Leander all on one-under-par.
Meanwhile, three players are tied for 10th place with England’s Emily Price, French amateur Maylis Lamoure and Denmark’s Cecilie Finne-Ipsen all on level par.
It was an extra special afternoon for French amateur Ines Archer who aced the par-3 11th hole and won the hole-in-one prize – an MG 4 Luxury, courtesy of MG motors.
The final round ends tomorrow starting at 8:40am local time with the current leaders teeing off at 10:52am.
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