Celine Herbin from France and Spanish rookie Marta Sanz Barrio are in the clubhouse on six under par after rounds of 67 and 69 respectively in sunny and hot conditions at Golf Park Pilsen this morning.
The leading players after the first round of the Tipsport Golf Masters, Becky Morgan and Nicole Broch Larsen, are playing in the strongest heat of the day with temperatures expected to reach 35C this afternoon.
Herbin, 32, who lives in Santander, northern Spain, said: “It was an interesting round. I began pretty slowly and birdied the first but I had two bad holes in a row, a three putt bogey on four and then a double bogey on five so I was plus two. I birdied six and bogeyed eight so I was still plus two after eight holes and I finished minus four. Then I finished very, very strong. In the last six holes I had five threes and there is only one par three.
“I had eagle on 14, birdie on 16 and a very good birdie on the last hole to get to six under in total. I’m very happy.”
The fourth season Ladies European Tour member combines playing in Europe and the United States, on the LPGA and Symetra Tour, whose best finish on the LET is fourth place, has had a busy schedule so far in 2015.
She said: “It’s my 10th week in a row of tournaments because I was in America. Last week I was at the British Open but I didn’t play. I was the first reserve so I played a practice round and it was not a week off, so I need holidays.”
Another player who took advantage of the more benign morning conditions was Sanz Barrio, who birdied the third and 14th in a bogey free round to get into contention for her first LET win.
The 22-year-old from Madrid, who won the Ingaro Ladies Open on the LET Access Series in 2014, said: “I’ve been working hard on my game coming into this event because I haven’t been playing so well. Seeing my name up there, it pumps my confidence up so I’ll see how the others play this afternoon and then assess my chances for tomorrow.”
As the second round continues, watch all the action live on CT4 in the Czech Republic or Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland this afternoon.
