French Caudal grabs first-round lead at Archerfield
Anne-Lise Caudal of France displayed a stunning performance in the first round of the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open, taking an early lead.
The match, being played at the prestigious Archerfield, Scotland, turned into a nerve-racking battle when Caudal stepped up her efforts to gain an early lead.
The field of the much-hyped event is quite strong, as it is featuring players like the defending champion Catriona Matthew, Lindsey Wright, Lynn Kenny and others.
The French star posted a superb 5-under 67 to surge past her nearest rivals. She not only fought the battle-hardened LET (Ladies European Tour) stars, but also the tough weather conditions.
Officials said that the weather became slightly rough early in the morning, but players appeared to be in a comfortable position. They said that the experts have forecast the weather to stay stable in the next three days.
Speaking to the media at the end of the round, Caudal said that she is quite thrilled about posting such a nice score.
She said that she did not let her nerve overcome her, and this was what helped her keep the momentum going.
The 27-year-old star said that she likes playing in strong winds, unlike most of the players. With some players complaining about rough winds, Caudal kept the pressure high on her rivals and forged ahead.
She added that although she faced trouble making perfect drives on some of the holes, she still posted a better-than-expected score.
She stated, “I love playing in the wind and I love playing in Scotland, England, Scotland and Ireland. The back nine was windy, it’s nice”.
“My putting was pretty good today. I didn’t hit my driver well; it was pretty short today but I hit some good second shots and everything was pretty good,” the golfing sensation further said.
The defending champion, Matthew, disappointed her fans, as she scored a 74. Analysts said that the veteran star was expected to give a tough time to her rivals, as she has the home course advantage.
“I’m disappointed,” Matthew said after her round. “I felt as though I played a lot better than I scored. I just didn’t putt very well and couldn’t get the ball to the hole”.
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