Ciganda starts the first major of the year in seventh position

Carlota Ciganda started the revitalized Chevron Championship on the right foot. The 32-year-old golfer from Pamplona opened the first major on the women’s calendar with a card of 70 shots, two under par, for a -2 that leaves her provisionally (the afternoon shift players still have to finish) in seventh position, three shots away of the leader, the Taiwanese Peiyun Chien. With four birdies, two bogeys and pars for the rest, the only Spanish in contention in this big one slipped into the privileged positions and keeps alive the dream of lifting the first major of her career.

The renewal of this tournament has been absolute. It changed its sponsor and, therefore, its name (previously it was known as ANA Inspiration), and also its location. For the first time since its founding in 1972 (although it became a major in 1983), the event is no longer played at Rancho Mirage’s Mission Hills Country Club, but instead is Jack Nicklaus-designed The Club at Carlton Woods, in the woods (Texas, USA) which hosts the tournament.

The already old ANA Inspiration is the great one in which Carlota Ciganda has accumulated the best results, with two fourth places in 2015 and 2019. If the trend of shining every four years in this event is repeated… It could be a great weekend for the Pamplona. The first step is taken, with a very good Thursday from the tee (11/14 fairways taken) and with the irons (15/18 greens in regulation), although he forgave several putts that would have catapulted him further up the standings.

Carlota, who in her last event played in the LPGA (the LA Open) already gave sensations of being at a good level with a fifth place, avoided starting problems and was able to sign birdies at 6 and 9. She erased them from her card with two bogeys in a row at 10 and 11, but the Spaniard quickly recovered with a birdie at 13 and put the final touch on her return by discounting again at 18. There is a long tournament ahead, but Ciganda has already taken out her claws and walks three strokes behind the leader, the Taiwanese Peiyun Chien, who delivered a card of 67 strokes, five under par, which makes her first solo.