Spain brush aside last year's heartbreak to grab first round honours in Espirito Santo Trophy

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Spain, bolstered by two of the top-5 ranked amateurs in the world, holds a one-stroke lead over Canada following the opening round of the 30th Women’s World Amateur Team Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Spain, who finished fifth last year in France after a heartbreaking double-bogey from Garcia-Poggio on the 72nd hole cost them dearly, is seeking its first WWATC medal since claiming silver in 2008 in Australia.

Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio, No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, posted a 4 under-par 68 and 2023 European Ladies’ Amateur champion Julia Lopez Ramirez (No. 5) added a 69 to position Spain at 7 under-par 137, one head of the Canadians and two in front of Ireland.

Fernandez Garcia-Poggio's round included six birdies against two bogeys. Lopez Ramirez, who was one of two amateurs to make the 36-hole cut in the 2023 AIG Women’s Open, totaled four birdies and a bogey, while teammate Carla Bernat Escuder posted a non-counting 70.

“I was hitting good shots, but the putts weren’t going in, so I just like ‘wait, be patient,’’ said Garcia-Poggio, a freshman at Texas A&M University. “I almost hit a hole in one [on the fourth hole] and that helped me make more birdies.”

The leading UAE Team player in the field was Lara El Chaib who shot a more than respectable two over par 74. She had an impressive five birdies on her card, including three in a row from the second tee.

Lara had the honour of hitting the opening tee shot, the first of the 2023 Espirito Santo Trophy 2023, and said: “I was pretty calm to be honest. I didn't really feel anything. I know the course, so I just had to hit my drive down the middle and I did. There were a lot of people on the tee, but I was just thinking about my shot and my routine.”

Canada rode a pair of 3 under 68’s in the afternoon from 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur runner-up Monet Chun and 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion Lauren Kim to post a 6 under total of 138. Chun, who became the first Canadian to make the cut at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April, tallied six birdies and three bogeys.

Ireland’s Sara Byrne, India’s Avani Prashanth and Japan’s Mamika Shinchi matched Garcia-Poggio's 4 under 68 for the low rounds of the day. Ireland used a combination of Byrne’s 68 and a 71 from Beth Coulter to post a 5 under 139 and hold solo third place.

Germany, India and the Republic of Korea share fourth place at 140, three strokes behind Spain.

Playing in its sixth WWATC, India had its best start in competition history on the strength of Prashanth’s 68 and an even-par 72 from Mannat Brar.

Germany was led by a bogey-free, 3 under 69 from Chiara Horder, the team’s playing captain who is a junior at Texas Tech University, and a 71 from Celina Sattelkau.

“We want to be up there [on the leaderboard], we want to get medals and play for the win,” said Horder, the 2023 British Women’s Amateur champion. “It feels good to have a good start and to contribute to the team.”

The tournament has Rolex as the Presenting Partner and is organized by the International Golf Federation (IGF) alongside the host Federation Partner, Emirates Golf Federation, in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Sports Council and their Destination Partner, the Department of Culture and Tourism.

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Round two begins tomorrow (Thursday) at 6:30 am (UAE time), with a two-tee start on the National Course.

Leading First Round Scores

(Par 72)

Spain 137.

Canada 138.

Ireland 139.

India 140.

South Korea 140.

Germany 140.

Individual