Céline Herbin - © Symetra Tour

The Normande leads the 132 players at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona, after 18 holes, and this is the first time in her career that she has had an absolute advantage in the first round of an LPGA-sanctioned tournament.

“My eagle was a huge drive. We estimated 310-315 [yards], so a really good drive and I used a small 6 iron to attack the green ”, said Céline Herbin, who is making her first Symetra Tour start since the 2016 Guardian Retirement Championship. "I landed two feet [from the hole] and it was almost a tap-in eagle, it's still good for confidence"

"It's funny because 2015 was my first year on the Symetra Tour and it was my first event, so I was quite happy to come back here"said Céline Herbin, who tied for 40th in the 2015 Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club. “I had a good feeling with this course. I like it and enjoyed it. Today my game was consistent and I was happy with my putting. "

While resting after a superb first round studded with six birdies and an eagle on the par-5 of 15, the Frenchwoman will strive to continue with a solid game the next rounds of her tournament of recovery, since the end of the 2020 season on the Ladies European Tour, during the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open De Espana.

"I was rather looking forward to playing a tournament again after almost four months [of forced rest]", said Céline Herbin. “I worked on my game over the winter and did a really good job, physically. I changed some team members with a new swing trainer, a new putting trainer. All of these things are going in the right direction. "

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Céline Herbin 4th three strokes behind the leaders of the Saudi Ladies International