Leticia Ras Andérica feels at home playing in the ActewAGL Canberra Classic this week. Although she was born and raised in Spain and represents Germany, her English-born father, John Ras, was raised in Canberra.
Leticia’s grandparents live in the Australian capital she has been visiting her grandmother, Elizabeth, in hospital each night this week.
Since joining the LET in 2016, Leticia has used the opportunity of travelling to Australia to see her grandparents and spent some time practising at Royal Canberra last year.
The experience appears to have paid off, as the 24-year-old third year member was lying two strokes behind the early leader Ji-Yai Shin after firing an opening five-under-par 67 on Friday morning.
She said afterwards: “I’m very pleased with my round. It started off a little bit shaky and I made a three-putt on my first hole, the 10th, and then made an eagle on my first par five, the 15th, which got me back into the game. I hit a 5-wood a little chunky up to five metres from the pin. I birdied the 18th as well with two putts and birdied all the par fives. I feel confident with my long game.”
Leticia’s father and friends followed her around the course on Friday and their support may well spur her on to her best finish on tour.
