Ireland’s Lauren Walsh and Denmark’s Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen are the round one leaders at the Tenerife Women’s Open after the pair both opened with cards of 67 (-5) at Abama Golf.
The latter set the pace in the morning carding six birdies and dropping just one shot at the par-3 4th. The joint round of day included a birdie-birdie finish at the par-5 17th and scenic par-4 18th.
“It started off a little bit slow,” Kibsgaard Nielsen said. “But then I got it going and was able to hit some fairways. This course is not easy, so I just tried to stay in the moment and take one shot at a time.”
The Dane won the LET Access Series (LETAS) Order of Merit in 2023 and is now making the most of her playing opportunities after losing her full card last year.
“I’ve been playing really well this year,” Kibsgaard Nielsen explained, who is yet to miss a cut in 2025 on the LET. “Last year coming in with a full card, knowing I had a full season here, I wouldn’t say it made me sit back, but it relaxed me. This year, not having my full card, knowing I have to do well in the events I play in, it has put me in a good mental place knowing I have to keep working hard. I know I can be there.”
Having held the lead for the majority of the day, Irish star Walsh then matched Kibsgaard Nielsen’s tally thanks to a bogey-free 67 (-5).
“We were last out so it’s been a long day,“ Walsh said. “but I played nicely. I hit it pretty consistently and holed a lot of putts. There’s a couple quirky holes so you have to plod your way around and play smart golf.
“It’s definitely tricky, but thankfully my coach has been out here quite a lot so he had me briefed on a lot of the golf course before I got here. So I sort of knew what to expect. In general, it sets things up very well for me and I’m really happy.”
In solo third sits England’s Eleanor Givens who carded six birdies and dropped two shots for a round of 68 (-4).
“I haven’t had the best start to my season this year,” the veteran explained. “So I’m very pleased with my round out there today. It’s a really tricky golf course but I hit some good shots and putted very nicely. The refs did a good job with the pins out there today and I managed to be below the hole a lot.”
France’s Ariane Klotz and the in-form Dorthea Forbrigd from Norway share fourth following Thursday’s play thanks to rounds of 69 (-3).
Eleven players round out the top-10 in a share for sixth on two-under par – a group which includes Portuguese amateur Sofia Barroso Sa and Order of Merit leader Mimi Rhodes from England.
The latter, a three-time winner in 2025, had the moment of the day acing the par-3 7th to start the broadcast at Abama Golf.
On the hole-in-one, Rhodes said: “As a professional, that’s my first hole-in-one, but overall I’ve only had two so I’m pretty happy.
“I was honestly a bit frustrated out there because the putts weren’t dropping. Then on the 7th, I hit a 9-iron straight at the pin, I didn’t get to see it, but my brother and his fiancee [who were watching] were really loud about it so then I knew it went in! It was a special moment. Especially to get it on camera.”
The Tenerife Women’s Open continues tomorrow morning at 8:30am local time. Watch live and follow all the action throughout the tournament on our socials – @LETgolf on Instagram, TikTok and X, and Ladies European Tour on YouTube and Facebook – #OpenTenerife.
