FLORIDA: Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz leads by one shot over Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson after Day 1 of the Aramco Team Series presented by the Public Investment Fund at Trump International, West Palm Beach, Florida.
Round 1 remains incomplete following a storm delay interrupting this afternoon’s play. Thirteen teams and 39 players will complete their first round at 7:15 a.m. tomorrow morning before Round 2 begins.
Iturrioz rounded out her round in spectacular fashion with an eagle, birdie finish on her 17th and 18th holes. It was a rollercoaster round for the Spaniard, carding an impressive six birdies and one eagle to sit atop the leaderboard. Iturrioz, a three-time Ladies European Tour winner, said after the round: “The environment with Pauline (Roussin) and the team was very nice. I loved it. I played with her in Singapore, so good memories. I’m trying to do the same as her.”
The 27-year-old Spaniard was referring to her teammate’s success in winning the first Aramco Team Series event in Singapore earlier this year. Roussin won the individual event in Singapore, at just 22 years old, by four shots over Danielle Kang and two-time major winner Lydia Ko. This week, the duo teamed up alongside Englishwoman Trish Johnson and amateur Michael Bickford and produced a dominant Round 1 to take a three-shot lead over Team Ko and Team Alexander.
In the individual standings, Gustavsson sits alone in second place but still has five holes to complete her first round after darkness suspended play for the day. After 13 holes, the Swede is bogey-free and will restart Round 1 on the fourth hole on Saturday.
Alison Lee and Lexi Thompson lead the way for America on Day 1. Lee sits in a tie for fifth, three shots back after carding an opening round 70, and Florida native and world No. 7 Thompson carded a one-under-par 71 on Day 1 with a steady 16 pars, two birdies and one bogey to sit in a tie for eighth.
“Overall, a very good day. Pretty steady one. We had beautiful weather teeing off at 7:27 a.m. We didn’t have too much wind, thankfully, and kind of beat the heat,” the major winner said after the round. “But overall, had a very steady day and enjoyed playing alongside my teammates.”
Team Thompson sit in sixth place and six shots back of first going into Day 2.
Czech Republic’s Klara Davidson Spilkova and Scotland’s Louise Duncan sit two back of Iturrioz in second after rounds of 70. They enjoyed similar rounds with four birdies and just one blemish each.
The 23-year-old Duncan, who is seeking her first professional victory after turning pro last July, said after the opening round: “It’s a tough golf course, so three-under. I’m exceptionally happy…I hit the ball all right, drove the ball really well, and you need to drive the ball around here or you’ll shoot millions.
“Then also I just kind of stayed calm, which I find quite difficult to do sometimes. But yeah, I’m really happy considering I haven’t really played here in the (US) that much.”
