She once again shows her characteristic smile, her eyes shine brightly again and her fist, after successfully putting the ball in the hole, goes back to the sky, a clear sign that Ana Peláez is a strong contender in the pools of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España once the halfway point of the competition has been reached.
The ritual of joyful gestures that accompany the successful actions of the golfer from Malaga was repeated on many occasions throughout her second round, five birdies and a single bogey that led her to second place, just three strokes behind the unexpected leader of the tournament, Kirsten Rudgeley.
The Australian is in command with a 9 under par total as a result of a gale of inspiration that has led her to the top of the leaderboard, a position she is eager to maintain for two more rounds and thus achieve what would be her first victory at the professional level.
Kirsten Rudgeley, a 22-year-old eager to learn, confirmed that her 6-under on the first day was not a mirage, but the product of a streak of inspiration maintained in the second 18 holes, where another four birdies -and a bogey on the 18th hole, where Ana Pelaez also stumbled- imply a well-consolidated solo lead.
With 36 holes played, reached the halfway point of the tournament, the Spanish hopes are focused on the solid performances of Ana Pelaez, Andrea Revuelta and Carlota Ciganda, members of the large group of golfers who still have serious chances of winning the title.
Ana Pelaez from Malaga has recovered the sensations that led her to be part of the elite for part of the season, fueled with three second places more than remarkable. The grit that she transmits in the field is transformed into laudable patience and serenity when it is her turn to express the sensations that her good trajectory generates.
“It is the result of sweeping, sweeping and sweeping,” said Ana Pelaez in relation to a process of purification of attitudes “that I started in January and that I will always have to exercise” in order to improve all those multiple issues that surround the complicated sport of golf.
Whether with wind, as in the first round, or with calm weather, as in the second, Ana Pelaez shows that she is on the way to do something big and feed her record with another triumph like the one she achieved in 2022 in the Comunidad de Madrid Ladies Open.
Speaking of Madrid, in the same match, Andrea Revuelta is also a reason for hope, only because of her amateur status located in eighth place among professional golfers seasoned in a thousand battles. The Madrid-born player, an outstanding member of the Spanish golf quarry that has dazzled Europe during the past summer with impressive victories, received a master’s degree from her distinguished match partners – the Dutch Anne Van Dam, two-time winner of the Spanish Open, and the aforementioned Ana Pelaez – which she put into practice to the best of her abilities.
Three birdies, one bogey and fourteen pars made up a card that allowed her to consolidate her position among the first classified, eighth in particular, an area of the table that also welcomes Carlota Ciganda, in tenth position after saving the round with par. There are now 36 holes left, half a world of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España, and the pools, where all of them occupy a preferential position, begin to circulate strongly in the RCG Las Brisas.
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CLASSIFICATION
1 Kirsten Rudgeley (AUS) -9 66 69 135
2 Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) -7 70 67 137
2 Ana Pelaez Trivino (ESP) -7 69 68 137
2 Aditi Ashok (IND) -7 69 68 137
2 Madelene Stavnar (NOR) -7 69 68 137
2 Linn Grant (SWE) -7 65 72 137
7 Lee-Anne Pace (RSA) -6 68 70 138
8 Andrea Revuelta (ESP) (A) -5 69 70 139
8 Celine Boutier (FRA) -5 67 72 139
10 Anne Van Dam (NED) -4 69 71 140
10 Carlota Ciganda (ESP) -4 68 72 140
10 Manon De Roey (BEL) -4 68 72 140
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AT THE MICROPHONE
Ana Peláez, 137 strokes, 68 today, second place.
“I enjoyed yesterday, I enjoy today… I feel very good, not only golfistically, but with myself, and that’s the most important thing. If I do my job well, I enjoy it. And it’s been a good day and I’m happy to be there. My only bogey of the day was on the last hole, but this is golf. I could say “what a pity” but I will go out with the same desire tomorrow, I will try to make as few as possible and let what has to come”.
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Andrea Revuelta (amateur), 139 strokes, 70 today, eighth place.
“I’m very happy with the result and I’m looking forward to more. I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and see what happens. I’m looking forward to a great comeback tomorrow, because I always feel like it, but with my head and calm. Playing with Ana Pelaez and Anne Van Dam has been fortunate, they are great players, it is a great opportunity to learn from them. I loved the attitude they have on the field. I’ve been enjoying the whole week, learning a lot”.
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AROUND THE GREEN
Other Spanish under par
After the halfway point of this Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España, in addition to the three Spaniards who are at the top of the ranking, there are others who should also be highlighted, as they are under par. This is the case of the amateur Julia Lopez, who has signed 69 strokes (-3), for a total of 142 strokes (-2). Next to the player from Benahavís is Carmen Alonso, after two rounds of 71 strokes (-1), while Luna Sobrón is with a total of 143 strokes (-1), after her card of 73 strokes.
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Second edition of the Celia Barquín Trophy
This Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España will once again pay tribute to the much-missed Celia Barquín by awarding the trophy that bears her name to the best amateur of the tournament. Andrea Revuelta, Cayetana Fernández and Julia López are the three amateurs who are competing with the best players of the Ladies European Tour and, at the moment, the first one is the best positioned, eighth place, after the second day.
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Solheim Cup memories
Carlota Ciganda chose a white and light blue outfit for the second day. And perhaps that is why her course distance book stood out, jealously guarded in a blue cover with the letters “Europe” printed on it, which she used in the last Solheim Cup played at Finca Cortesin. The blue “Team Europe” inscription on his socks also caught the eye.
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The tireless Carmen Alonso and her intense relationship with the Open de España
Of all the participants in the competition, one of them stands out above all, and she goes by the name of Carmen Alonso. The golfer from Valladolid is the only one who has played 20 of the 21 editions held to date, two of them as an amateur, an impressive streak that was only frustrated in 2020, when an untimely injury prevented her from playing at the RCG Guadalmina. In second place is Laura Cabanillas from Malaga, absent on this occasion, who has played 15 of the 21 tournaments played to date.
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