Talented Dane Nicole Broch Larsen shot a six under 66 to take a one shot lead into the second round of the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open.
Talented Dane Nicole Broch Larsen shot a six under 66 to take a one shot lead into the second round of the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open at Clearwater GC in Christchurch.
The 22-year-old from Hillerød in Denmark, who is the second highest ranked player in the Rolex Rankings competing this week, started at the 10th hole and was quickly into her stride making birdie at the par five. She made further birdies at the 12th and 13th holes and another was to follow at the par-4 15th hole, to be four-under-par after just six holes. She made light of the tough stretch of holes from the 16th to the 18th making comfortable pars at each of them to make the turn in 32. The unassuming Dane was quickly at six-under-par after birdies on the second and third, before her only mistake of the round came at the par-5 fifth hole, where she made a disappointing bogey six. She bounced back with a birdie at the seventh before closing with two pars for a six-under 66.
Broch Larsen, in her third season on the Ladies European Tour, was obviously delighted with her round. She said:
“For my first round of 2016 I am really happy to shoot a 66. I played really solid today, got off to a good start and just hit a bad tee shot on the fifth hole which was my 14th hole and was lucky to only drop one shot to be honest.”
Broch Larsen will take a one shot lead into tomorrow’s second round over the talented young French rookie Justine Dreher, who was impressive in her professional debut last week at the Oates Victorian Open finishing in fifth place. Just a further shot back is French star Gwladys Nocera, herself a former winner of this championship here at Clearwater in 2012 and Scotland’s Pamela Pretswell, who both shot four-under-par rounds of 68.
England's Felicity Johnson and Lauren Taylor both lie on tied seventh after a two-under round of 70.
World number one and overwhelming tournament favourite Lydia Ko was the first to admit that she hadn’t brought her ‘A’ game with her to Clearwater today, but such is the quality of the 18-year-old she was able to grind it out and shoot another sub 70 round at a course where she had a course record 61 last year. She birdied her final hole of the day to shoot a three-under-par 69, the same score shot by her compatriot Cathryn Bristow.
After round two there will be a cut to 50 professionals plus ties and amateurs falling within the cut line. The third and final round will be played on Sunday.
For full scores visit www.nzwomensopen.co.nz
