Titiya Plucksataporn and Anne-Lise Caudal grab first round lead at Finnair Masters on LET
Thailand’s Titiya Plucksataporn, who grabbed an early lead at the Finnair Masters at the Helsinki Golf Club Finland, had to later share the lead with Frenchwoman Anne-Lise Caudal, who was one the best later starters of the first round. Both players carded
rounds of six-under, 65 to share the lead for the €30,000 event.
Plucksataporn, who started off in the first group early in the morning alongside Caroline Hedwall of Sweden, South African Lee-Anne Pace, Spaniard Carlota Ciganda, and Becky Brewerton of Wales, shot an amazing spree of birdies in her front nine and made
the turn to pull a stunning eagle at Par-5, 14th. She dropped just two shots in her round.
Speaking to reporters after the day's play, Plucksataporn said, “The putting was the key. I made them all today; it was a very good round and unexpected. I had a new putter this week, so maybe that helped.”
Plucksataporn opted to switch to a different putter this time around, a PING Anser Putter, and ended up with refreshing results. The 28-year-old, who hails from Bangkok, has not won a title on the tour and has a career best finish of joint fifth at the EMAAR-MGF
Ladies Masters in India.
Meanwhile Caudal, the late starter on the first day, had a more solid performance with a bogey-free round and pulled in six birdies. Interestingly though, all her birdies came on the back nine after she managed to even-par all the nine holes on the front.
Caudal said, “I started with nine pars on my front nine so I was struggling and looking to make some birdies. I had six birdies on the back nine and just played much better. I put the ball pretty close and just made the putts. I was a bit lucky on 15 because
I made a 42 metre shot which was good for the birdie, so I was happy.”
The Frenchwoman revealed that her main objective was to qualify for the upcoming Evian Masters, presented by Societe Generale, at the end of July. The Evian Masters is LET’s event with the biggest purse.
The winner of Finnair Masters will head straight to the Evian Maters regardless of her rankings.
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