CIGANDA MOVES CLOSER TO AUTOMATIC SPOTS IN EUROPEAN TEAM SOLHEIM CUP STANDINGS

Posted on | by nicola01
Carlota Ciganda

Last weekend saw the second Major of the year with the 69th playing of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship which was hosted at Baltusrol Golf Club.

It was Ruoning Yin who triumphed after sinking her birdie putt on the 18th green, which was enough for her to win her first Major and second LPGA Tour title.

But there was plenty of European interest throughout the week Stateside and with the 2023 Solheim Cup edging ever closer, there were some crucial points up for grabs.

Suzann Pettersen is at the helm for Team Europe for the prestigious competition which will take place in Spain for the first time at Finca Cortesin from September 22-24.

The European team will be comprised of the top two players from the LET Solheim Cup standings, six players from the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, and four captain’s picks.

There were six players who came away with precious points by finishing in the top 20 at the second Major championship of the year to move up the LET points list.

Sweden’s Linn Grant extended her advantage at the top of the standings with a T20 finish, and she now has 233.13 points, while compatriot Maja Stark is still in second place with 208.17 points.

The big mover from last week is Spain’s Carlota Ciganda who fired an excellent seven-under-par 64 on Sunday to end the week in a tie for third place on six-under-par.

Ciganda has moved above fellow Spaniard Ana Peláez Trivino to third place in the LET points list with 191.50 thanks to her T3 at Baltusrol as well as her victory in the Individual event at the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – Florida last month.

Another European who had an excellent Sunday was Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist who produced rounds of 66 and 65 at the weekend to also finish a tie for third place and she now sits 10th in the points list.

There were also points for Solheim Cup winners Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Leona Maguire, who ended the week in a share of 11th place as well as Jodi Ewart Shadoff, who finished in T15.

The next chance to accumulate some big points and make a move up the list is just over a week away with the third Major of the year – the U.S. Women’s Open – taking place at Pebble Beach from July 6-9.