Julia Engstrom - © ASO / P.Ballet

Among the 108 entered in this 28th edition of the Lacoste Ladies Open de France, the youngest is leading after eighteen holes! Julia Engström, seventeen since March 21, has indeed taken sole control of the tournament by posting this Thursday a superb card of 64 (-7). After a bogey from the 1, the player from Halmstad took the measure of the course of the Castles by making no less than six birdies and an eagle. “I played very solid. I hit a lot of approaches very close to the flags, and took advantage of the par 5s by hitting some good putts, ”she said. Youngest winner of the British Ladies Amateur Championship in 2016, Engström has already tasted success among the pros, in early June in Finland on the LET Access Series, the second European division. Tonight, she is one step ahead of South African Nicole Garcia (65), and three out of the three players who share third place.

First Frenchwoman, Anne-Lise Caudal is just part of this trio. The Basque returned a good card of 67 (-4) including five birdies and a bogey, taking advantage of the first leg: “I made four birdies in complicated conditions, with a lot of rain and wind. The comeback was more difficult: I started to miss my face-offs, which extended my second shots. But I held on well and I managed to return a good score, which satisfies me fully, ”she said. Deprived of playing rights on the Ladies European Tour this season, Caudal therefore regained form at the best time, in her national open where she had three top 10s in thirteen participations. “There are still three days left, so a lot can still happen. You have to remain patient and try to reproduce this good day to score each lap under the par ”, she warns.

Two other Habs are in the top 10, since Céline Herbin and Jade Schaeffer-Calmels share sixth place at -3 with solid cards of 68. For the first, winner of the 2015 edition, this score is particularly satisfactory since made with borrow clubs, her bag having been lost during her flight from the United States ten days ago! "My putting was not that great, but the score is there thanks to a very good long game", she said, satisfied. For her part, the Alsatian was delighted with this beautiful, rather unexpected introduction: “It had nothing to do with my level of play yesterday at pro-am, so I'm delighted to see that the job I did last night with François Calmels, my caddy and husband, paid off today! ". Three other French women managed to complete the first round under par: Marion Ricordeau and the young Bordeaux girl Emma Grechi played 69 (-2), and Isabelle Boineau (70, -1).

Open to all: Amateurs, supporters and curious, it is possible to follow the games as close as possible to the golfers on the course of the Chateaux, at the Golf du Médoc Resort

Thursday 6/09 and Friday 7/09 from 9:00 am
Saturday 8/09 and Sunday 10/09 from 8:30 am
Free access and parking, public catering