Luna Sobrón leads Spain’s strong showing at the start of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España presented by Oysho
- The Balearic player, tied for second place at -5, leads an outstanding start for the Spanish team, with Marta Martín, Carlota Ciganda and a large national contingent in the battle for the title
- Smilla Soenderby and Trichat Cheenglab share the lead at -6 after two flawless rounds to open the European Tour final at the Real Guadalhorce Golf Club
The Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España presented by Oysho got off to a flying start at the Real Guadalhorce Golf Club, where Luna Sobrón shone with a magnificent -5 that puts her in joint second place alongside Céline Herbin and just one stroke off the lead. Her performance, together with those of Marta Martín (-4), Carlota Ciganda (-3) and the solid group of Spanish players who finished under par, marked a particularly exciting start to the tournament for Spanish golf.
Luna came out strong from the tee on the 1st, displaying the consistency that has led her to consolidate her position among the top twenty in the Order of Merit. After two initial pars, she strung together birdies on the 3rd, 4th, 7th and 9th to close out the first nine holes with a sensational -4. In the second round, she kept her composure, added her fifth birdie on the 12th and completed six consecutive pars to sign off on a flawless card. “I started out nervous, but I knew how to calm myself down. I’m having a great season and the work on my putting is paying off,‘ explained the Balearic Islander, who also praised the support of her caddie and partner, Álvaro Alonso (former caddie to Carlota Ciganda): ’He knows me very well, and having him on the bag this week is a luxury.‘ Luna also encouraged the public to fill Guadalhorce: ’The level is incredible and the course is perfect. What more could you ask for?”
Among the other notable Spanish players, Marta Martín (-4) completed a very solid round that puts her tied for fifth place and with a real chance of fighting for the title. Carlota Ciganda, the reigning champion, reacted with class after an early bogey on the first hole and finished the day with a commendable -3 and four birdies in total, with her spectacular second shot to the flag on the 18th to secure the birdie being particularly noteworthy. ‘I’m happy with this -3. Obviously, I feel some pressure having won last year, but I’m still confident and very motivated to play at home,’ said the Navarrese player. Harang Lee, Nuria Iturrioz, Amaia Latorre, Teresa Toscano and Azahara Muñoz (-2) also posted promising results, all of them well positioned to attack on the second day. Amateurs Andrea Revuelta (par) and Adriana García Terol (+1) also had a solid debut against the continent’s best.
At the top of the leaderboard, Smilla Soenderby and Trichat Cheenglab shared the lead at -6 after two flawless rounds, both without bogeys. Soenderby carded three birdies on the front nine and repeated the pace on the back nine with another three between the 10th and 15th. ‘This morning I joked that I was going to shoot six under par today… No sooner said than done,’ she commented humorously. Trichat, winner in the Netherlands in 2023, improved even further in the final stretch of the day with birdies on the 15th, 16th and 18th: ‘I set myself the goal of shooting -5 every day and today I exceeded it. I’ve spent hours around the green this week.’
The battle for the Order of Merit took an unexpected turn in this opening round. Mimi Rhodes, raised in Sotogrande and aspiring to be number 1 in Europe, needs a top-3 finish in Malaga to win the coveted title of most consistent player of the year. However, her chances were hampered by a tough quintuple bogey on the 12th hole, although she managed to recover to finish with -1. This means that Singapore’s Shannon Tan maintains her lead in the battle for the Order of Merit, although the tournament still has a lot to say.
With several Spanish players in the thick of the fight, a lead within reach and a course that rewards courage and precision, the second day at Guadalhorce promises strong emotions and many changes at the top of the leaderboard.
Star visit on the first day of competition
Malaga legend Miguel Ángel Jiménez made an appearance at the Real Guadalhorce Golf Club, showing his support for the Spanish players and especially Azahara Muñoz, who made an exciting return to the Spanish Open.
Top-level simulator at Muelle Dos in Malaga
The simulator installed at Muelle Dos by the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation continues to attract fans and curious onlookers, bringing golf to all audiences in the heart of the city during the most special week for Spanish women’s golf.
The latest news on the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España presented by Oysho can be followed on the website openfemenino.com, the Twitter account @Openfemenino, the Instagram account @spanishopen and the Facebook page @openfemenino. It is sponsored by Andalucía and Costa del Sol as main sponsors, together with Oysho as naming partner and textile sponsor of the tournament. Malaga City Council, Mahou, Solán de Cabras, Hisúmer Cincoro, Audi Safamotor, Best Garden, Carrasco Ibéricos, Essse Café, Greenmowers, Kyocera, PING, Reale and Swing Line are also among the key supporters of the tournament. The LET, RFEG, RFGA, Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf y Deporte & Business are collaborating in its organisation.
The latest news on the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España presented by Oysho can be followed on the website openfemenino.com, the Twitter account @Openfemenino, the Instagram account @spanishopen and the Facebook page @openfemenino. It is sponsored by Andalucía and Costa del Sol as main sponsors, together with Oysho as naming partner and textile sponsor of the tournament. Malaga City Council, Mahou, Solán de Cabras, Hisúmer Cincoro, Audi Safamotor, Best Garden, Carrasco Ibéricos, Essse Café, Greenmowers, Kyocera, PING, Reale and Swing Line are also among the key supporters of the tournament. The LET, RFEG, RFGA, Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf y Deporte & Business are collaborating in its organisation.