Amaia Latorre, sole leader on the first day of the Santander Golf Tour Valencia

• The Alava native based in Castellón shot a two-under-par round at the Parador de El Saler Golf Course and leads María Herráez by three strokes
• Castellón amateur Clara Uso, just 15 years old, surprised everyone with a commendable third place finish and will be looking to repeat the feat in tomorrow’s feature match

Amaia Latorre, from Álava and based in Castellón, was the star of the show on the first day of the Santander Golf Tour at the Parador de El Saler Golf Course, after carding the only round under par of the day. With a score of 70 (-2), she leads alone with a three-stroke advantage over María Herráez from Madrid and four over a group of pursuers, including the young Clara Uso, a 15-year-old amateur from Castellón.

Latorre built her lead on the strength of her confidence off the tee and her power on the par 5s. She started with four consecutive pars and scored her first birdie on the 5th hole. Although she bogeyed the 8th, she finished the first nine holes at par. In the second round, she reached her peak on the 11th hole, where she scored the only eagle of the day after a great drive and a 5-wood from 198 metres that left her just over a metre and a half from the hole.

‘I got closer with that 5-wood shot than with all the irons I used today,’ she said with a smile after her round. ‘I felt very comfortable off the tee, and that allowed me to save some mistakes with the irons. The course is already difficult in itself, but when the wind picks up—as it did from the 5th or 6th hole onwards—it forces you to adjust and play more creative shots,’ she added.

Latorre, who in 2023 achieved two victories on the Santander Golf Tour (the individual tournament at the R.C.G. in La Coruña and the doubles tournament at Sherry Golf alongside Nuria Iturrioz), will be looking for her third victory on the circuit tomorrow, on a course that rewards solid short game and penalises tee shot errors.

In second place is María Herráez with +1, who led for much of the day. The Madrid native, current champion of the Santander Golf Tour ranking and runner-up in the inaugural Empordà Golf tournament, had an error-free first round, with a birdie on the 5th. However, three consecutive bogeys between holes 12 and 14 caused her to lose ground. An immediate birdie on the 15th and three final pars allow her to remain in contention for the title.

Among those tied for third place with Marina Escobar and Charlotte Liautier is Clara Uso, a 15-year-old amateur from Castellón and Amaia’s training partner at the Costa de Azahar Club. After a difficult start (+5 on the first six holes), she reacted with character with birdies on the 7th and 9th to close the first round at +3, and signed a second round of one under par to finish with +2 overall. Clara will play tomorrow for the first time in the final round of a professional tournament, on a day that could mark a turning point in her fledgling career.

Amaia also had words for the young amateur, with whom she trains at the Costa de Azahar Golf Club. “I live in Castellón and train there. Some days, like Wednesdays, we get together with several players from the club. Our coach puts in five euros per person and we play competitively. Another scratch player also joins us and we really have a great time,‘ she explained. ’She’s a very hard-working girl and has a lot of potential.”

The final day, which will be played tomorrow, Wednesday, starting at 8:30 a.m., promises to be exciting. In addition to the trophy, there is a lot at stake: the top two players in the rankings after this event will receive an invitation to the Super Bock Ladies Open, a LET Access Series tournament to be held at Vidago Golf (Portugal) from 6 to 8 May, while the best player in the rankings after the next event in Pedreña will receive a place in the Tenerife Women’s Open, a Ladies European Tour event.

About the Parador de El Saler Golf Course

Located in the heart of the Albufera Natural Park, the Parador de El Saler Golf Course is one of the great icons of Spanish golf. Designed by Javier Arana, considered the best golf course architect in Spanish history, it offers an 18-hole course that combines areas of Mediterranean forest with links-style stretches by the sea. Its technical layout and respect for the environment have made it the venue for numerous professional tournaments and a destination of choice for golf and nature lovers.

About the Santander Golf Tour

The Santander Golf Tour is Banco Santander’s firm commitment to professional women’s golf, and it celebrates its tenth season in 2025. With ten tournaments throughout Spain, some of them part of higher circuits such as the LETAS, it is supported by Santander Private Banking, Carmignac, and Santander Seguros as sponsors. Homenaje, Wilson Golf, Toa Shoes, and Estrella Damm are the preferred suppliers. The Royal Spanish Golf Federation, together with the Valencian Community Golf Federation, provide the rest of the essential support for this tour.