Local player Caroline Hedwall, Ana Pelaez Trivino from Spain and Nicole Garcia of South Africa carded a trio of four-under-par 68s at to share the lead after the first round of the Helsingborg Open in Sweden.
Hedwall made six birdies in windy conditions at Allerum Golf Club to lead by two early in the day, but she found the water with her second shot and double bogeyed her last hole, the ninth.
“It was unfortunate to finish with a double bogey on the last, but to be honest, it wasn’t that bad of a shot, it just got caught by the wind and that pushed down in the water,” said the 34-year-old four-time Solheim Cup player. “I’m pleased with how I played. I started a bit shakily, but I missed in the right places. I putted really well and actually played really well on my back nine. I’m pleased with my start and it’s good to be up there on day one when you’re playing at home. I used to live here in Helsingborg for 15 years so this feels like home and then we are going to Stockholm next week, which is home, so it couldn’t be better.”
The seven-time LET winner, whose most recent victory came in the 2022 season-ending Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de España, is looking for her first win on home soil and she added: “I’ve been close quite a few times so that’s the goal for the week, but I don’t want to push anything. I want to play well and hopefully I’ll be up there in contention on Sunday.”
Pelaez Trivino made an early bogey on the 11th, before picking up three birdies on the 13th, 18th and first holes. The highlight of her round was a brilliant eagle on the fifth, which she played as her 14th, after some discussions around club selection with her caddie.
She said afterwards: “I hit driver off the tee and had 180-something metres to the flag. It was whipping downwind and I asked my caddie, ‘Do you think 6-iron is the club?’ 165m was the front of the green. He gave me the best explanation as to why 6-iron was the perfect club and I was like, ‘Okay, so six or not?’ He said yes and we left it within two feet. After I made eagle, I said, yes, it was the perfect club.”
The 25-year-old from Malaga, who won the 2022 Comunidad de Madrid Ladies Open to secure her full card on the LET, has started the 2023 season strongly with five top 10s including two second places and sits in third position on the Race to Costa del Sol.
She added: “I look for a win at every single tournament I play in, so hopefully it’s this one. I have really good memories of Helsingborg. I came here in 2015, with my dad. It was my first LET tournament ever, so hopefully I can create more great memories in Helsingborg.”
Garcia, who played in the afternoon, started with a bogey on the 10th, but then birdied the 12th and 17th. She finished with three birdies in her last three holes, including a near slam-dunk on the ninth, where she set up a tap-in birdie from 128 yards.
She said: “The wind was really tough today, so I was just trying to stay patient. I hit a few loose shots, but on this course, at least there is a little bit of space, so it is forgiving if you are offline. There are quite a few hard bounces on the greens, but I managed to make a few birdies.
“On the last, the ball was rolling up nicely from the left and looked like it might have run in. I was really hoping that the ball was in the hole, but it wasn’t to be, so I’m happy with a tap-in birdie. It was just sitting on the lip.
“I do tend to play really well in the wind. I’m not sure what it is, if I concentrate more or am more focussed on my targets, so if it’s not windy tomorrow I’ll have to channel my inner windy golfer. I’m going to try to keep it up. The golf course suits me and I’m putting really well. There are two more rounds to go, so I’ll try my best.”
Nuria Iturrioz of Spain and England’s Florentyna Parker sit one stroke back in a share of fourth position on 69, while Nicole Broch Larsen from Denmark, who won the title in 2015, is amongst seven players tied for sixth on two-under-par.
