New Zealander Lynnette Brooky set the course alight with a six-under-par 66 today in the first round of the Ladies Spanish Open at Panorámica G&CC in Castellon, and leads by a shot over Frenchwoman Gwladys Nocera, who started her campaign with a five under par 67.
It was a grandstand finish for the three time winner on the Ladies European Tour, who had a run of three birdies on the final three holes to steal the outright lead from her playing partner Nocera.
Brooky, who won the 1998 Ladies Austrian Open as well as back to back French Open titles in 2002 and 2003, carded seven birdies and a solitary bogey this morning.
At the par-four first hole, she started with a bogey, but quickly recovered. “I just crashed into the trees and I said to my caddie Gerald, ‘I’ve got to stop thinking about my golf swing’. Then I just got over the ball and started to smash it,” she said.
That strategy seemed to work as she produced birdies at the seventh, eighth and ninth holes to make the turn in two under par 34 on a peaceful morning at the Langer designed Panorámica G&CC, located two hours south of Barcelona. On the back nine, she picked up some momentum with further birdies at holes 13, 16, 17 and 18.
“I was telling myself to be patient the whole time. The girls were dropping putts and I was just missing them. I had to ask my caddie Gerald to line me up because I couldn’t buy a putt for a while. Then I realised that all the putts were going straight so I felt a bit freer. I’m trying not to be too mechanical out there.”
The birdie blitz began at the par-four 13th, where the New Zealander hit her eight-iron to two feet. She then made a long putt on 16. At 17, she made a huge putt from the back of the green and at the last hole she played to a yard from the greenside bunker.
She said: “My goal is to try and win tournaments, and ultimately to be the European number one. When I do that I think I’ll retire.”
French Solheim Cup player Nocera lurks just one shot off the pace after a faultless round in which she hit 18 greens and was the model of consistency, with five birdies at the third, fifth, ninth, 11th and 15th holes.
The Biarritz-based player is full of confidence after a superb 2005 season which saw her finish runner up on three occasions. She aims to go one better this year and secure her first win on Tour.
“I’m pleased with my round but I left a few shots out there,” said Nocera. “I had birdie chances at 14 and 17 and then I misjudged the wind on 18. I thought it was blowing strongly from left to right on my second shot so I played left and my ball found the greenside bunker. That was disappointing.
“Of all my birdies I think the one at 15 was the best. I hit driver, seven-iron to six feet. I’m really pleased with my driving because it’s longer, straighter and more consistent since I’ve been doing weights over the winter with my new fitness trainer. It’s not always on the fairway but it’s always there or there abouts.”
Spaniard Carmen Alonso and American Kris Lindstrom were tied for third position on four-under-par 68 after the opening round. Both players carded six birdies and two bogeys.
Alonso likes this course – and this tournament. The big hitter who is in her second season with the Ladies European Tour tied for the lead here last year after a 66 and finished in a tie for 18th position playing as an amateur in 2003.
“I had great confidence from the beginning because I hit the ball strongly off the tee to around 300 yards and this course has five par-fives, which suits me because I can always make the green in two,” she said.
“This year the course is longer and it’s great for me; I prefer longer courses where I can use my driver. I’ve been training in the gym over the winter at the Spanish Federation and I feel in great condition. I’m doing a lot of stretches before and after my game as well which I think is really important.”
Lindstrom, from Minnesota, is competing in her second year on the LET after playing on the US LPGA Tour from 1999 to 2004. She said: “I struggled a little bit on the back nine but this course was a little gentler than Tenerife. I think I had 38 putts in my first round in Tenerife and only 27 today, so that’s what made the difference.”
Lindstrom is of Scandinavian descent as her paternal grandparents hail from Sweden and whilst on Tour, the American-born golfer admitted she is picking up a few Swedish words from her Scandinavian colleagues.
On an international leader board, Frenchwoman Virginie Auffret, Australian Helen Beatty, Italian Tullia Calzavara, Sweden’s Cecilia Ekelundh and Switzerland’s Florence Lüscher, all finished tied for fifth position at three-under-par 69.
Among those tied for tenth position at two-under-par 68 are Spaniards Raquel Carriedo and Tania Elosegui, Australian rookies Sarah Kemp and Nicole Garrett and Johanna Waldh of Sweden.
Representing England, Georgina Simpson of Gomersal, West Yorkshire, had an interesting opening round with Spain’s longest standing golf writer Jesus Ruiz on caddie duties after the duo met in yesterday’s Pro Am.
Ruiz founded Spain’s first and at that time only golf magazine, titled: “Golf,” in 1967 and has been writing about golf for almost 30 years, but that didn’t distract Simpson. She carded a respectable level par 72 to sit six shots off the pace in a tie for 34th position.
During her first round, she carded three bogeys, a birdie and an eagle at the par-five fourth hole, where she chipped in from 25 feet.
She said: “It was okay today, but the wind made it very difficult this afternoon. I think all the good scores came in this morning, so hopefully it will be my turn tomorrow.” She is playing with compatriot Rebecca Hudson, who had a 73 and Italian Sophie Sandolo, who had a 72.
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