Céline Herbin Takes Opening Lead in Spain

After day one at the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open, Céline Herbin leads the way at 9-under and Carly Booth maintains last week's momentum a few shots behind. 

Frances Céline Herbin opened the tournament with a blistering round of 62 at Club de Golf Terramar in Sitges, Spain yesterday. Coming out of the starting blocks with a string of steady pars, Herbin really put her foot on the gas after an eagle at the 6th, following it up with five birdies and another eagle.

Sitting pretty at the top of the leaderboard, Herbin holds a two stroke advantage over Dutchwoman Anne Van Dam, with Scotland’s Carly Booth a stroke further back in third place and Aditi Ashok from India in fourth.

Booth, a two-time winner on the LET six years ago, birdied her last three holes for another solid performance, following on from her 11th place finish in the Lacoste Ladies Open de France a fortnight ago.

After making consecutive birdies at the 1st and 2nd, and again at the 6th, 7th, and 8th, Charlotte Thompson from England finished her round with a birdie two at the 18th. She now sits in 5th place at 4-under par alongside Rebecca Hudson, also from England.

In fact, the top half of the leaderboard is scattered with flags from the Home Nations; Scotland's Michele Thomson and Catriona Matthew, and England's Trish Johnson all finished the day at 3-under in 15th, closely followed by Hannah Burke at 2-under, and Sophie Walk and Ellie Givens at 1-under, all from England.

There was a sombre mood across the golf course as play was suspended and the competitors gathered around the 15th green for a minute’s silence at midday, in honour of Celia Barquín Arozamena, the Spanish golfer who was murdered in Iowa on Monday.

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