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Marion Ricordeau continued her fine start to the 2012 LET Access Series as she took a two shot lead in the first round of the Dinard Ladies Open thanks to a three under par 66.
The 25-year-old Frenchwoman won the first event of the season at the Terre Blanche Ladies Open last month and continued in the same vein in the second tournament, at Dinard Golf in Brittany.
She capitalised in the best of the day’s calm and sunny afternoon conditions with a superb opening round that included five birdies.
Starting with consecutive birdies on the eighth and ninth, where she made a seven metre putt and then holed a bunker shot respectively, Marion picked up further shots at the 10th, 17th and fourth to reach five under par.
She sank a three metre putt at the 10th before chipping in from the back of the green on 17 and then hitting a wedge to two metres at the fourth hole.
It would have been even better had she not three-putted the par-five second hole, however her only real error of the day was a double bogey on the par-four sixth, her penultimate hole, after she hit her approach shot over the back of the green.
“I was not playing that good on my front nine but after that I started playing better,” said Ricordeau. “My short game was excellent today so it was good. We were so lucky with the conditions, no rain or wind. It was perfect.”
Marion feels winning in Terre Blanche boosted her confidence. She said: “Playing in Morocco, I had no goals, I was just thinking: ‘Your goal this year is just playing LETAS so just have fun,’ and it helped me. I think I can make something good with the LETAS. I was nervous this morning because you never know how you will play but after today I think I can play well and maybe win again. I hope so: I will do my best for it.”
Marion is conscious of the invitation available this week for the Deloitte Ladies Open in Holland on the LET. The highest placed player not otherwise exempt will earn a place. She said: “I have good goals for this week.”
Eight players shared second spot on one under, with Laurence Herman, Nathalie David-Mila, Anna Scott, Anastasia Kostina, Benedicte Toumpsin, Jade Schaeffer, Iliska Verwey and Celine Palomar all signing for rounds of one under 68.
LET rookie Anna Scott from England, who is playing in her first event as a professional after gastroenteritis forced her withdrawal from the recent Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco, holed a gap wedge for eagle at the third hole.
She said: “I’m pretty happy with my round; you never know quite what to expect with it being the first round of the season. I have just started working with a new coach, Ryan Fenwick who I met a LET Q School. He has told me to stop over analysing everything. Every time I would hit a bad shot I would think, ‘What did I do wrong there?’ I’m just trying to keep it simple.”
There were eight players a stroke further back on level par, including Scottish amateur Pamela Pretswell, while the 2011 event champion Julie Maisongrosse carded a four over 73, seven shots off the lead.
