Cara Gainer Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Gainer leads after Day 1 of Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open De Espana

Matt Smith — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 05:48:03 +0000

By Matt Smith
While Linn Grant and Maja Stark were fighting it out for bragging rights on the Ladies European Tour season-long Race to Costa Del Sol rankings race, it was Cara Gainer who was the unexpected leader after Day 1 of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España at Alferini Golf.

The Englishwoman shot a 66 to take a one-shot lead over home hope Carlota Ciganda, signing for seven-under thanks to nine birdies and two bogeys.

“Overall, I’m really really pleased,” Gainer said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better start. I got it going, I was quite patient, I hit the ball lovely today and holed a few putts.

“It played very different to the practice days. We were having 20mph winds and we really had no wind today and it was a lot warmer. The ball was flying further, we had one or two clubs less in on every hole today which makes it a bit easier to hit it close.

“I would give myself a seven or eight out of 10 for the season. I’ve had some really solid results, but not quite all the way there. It’s nice to get off to a good start this week, still plenty of golf to go.”

It was a slow start for Ciganda but she got on a hot streak on the back nine rolling in six consecutive birdies to put herself firmly near the top of the leaderboard.

SIX IN A ROW!!@carlotagolf has produced a masterclass on this back nine today#RaiseOurGame | #OpenDeEspana pic.twitter.com/7wpERFODD5

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 24, 2022

“I’m pretty happy,” said the six-time LET winner. “After that double bogey, I thought three or four-under was a good score today.

“I knew I had those two par-fives to finish so I thought if I could get a couple of birdies before 16 and 17. I started making some good putts on 13 to 18 and with six birdies to finish, I’m obviously very happy.

“I love playing here it’s so nice to see familiar faces, to see family and friends. I love playing in front of them. It’s always special to play in Spain as well, so I’m just happy to be here and finish the year here.”

Four players are shared for third place with Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux, France’s Anais Meyssonnier, Ireland’s Leona Maguire and Sweden’s Linn Grant all on five-under-par.

Leader of the 2022 Race to Costa del Sol, Grant said: “I started off a bit nervous and stiff, I didn’t know what to do for the first couple of holes being two-over after three,” said the four-time LET winner. “I found something and got it going and finished on five-under which I’m very happy with.

“I think I built this tournament up a bit wanting to perform well and win. Going out there with Maja [Stark] and Carlota knowing that they would probably play good, I knew I had to play well as well and I think that pressure took over the first couple of holes.

“It feels nice to be ahead of Maja for now, even though I like to play with her, and she’ll say the same, it’s good to be one shot ahead going into tomorrow.”

Nine players sit one shot further back in a tie for seventh place including Swedish duo Stark and Jessica Karlsson, South Africans Lee-Anne Pace and Casandra Alexander, English pair Hannah Burke and Alice Hewson, Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz and Azahara Muñoz, and Dutch star Anne Van Dam.

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Ladies European Tour: Linn Grant claims Belgian Ladies Open crown

Matt Smith — Mon, 30 May 2022 06:58:52 +0000

By Matt Smith
Sweden’s Linn Grant kept up her sensational season as she claimed her second Ladies European Tour title in five starts in 2022 thanks to a final-round 67 at the Mithra Belgian Ladies Open.

The 22-year-old, who won the Joburg Ladies Open in March, followed up her opening three rounds of 66, 68 and 67 to sustain her remarkable form to hold off England’s Cara Gainer at Naxhelet Golf Club.

Grant maintained her lead on the front nine with birdies on three and nine, before she went toe-to-toe with Gainer on the back nine.

Birdies on 10 and 12, as well as a crucial eagle on the 14th put the Swede back in pole position, and a dropped shot on 16 put the duo level before Grant made a par on the last to win her second title with a total of 15-under-par.

“I was playing good all day, but I felt I needed something to get me on top of the leaderboard and I knew Cara was playing so well,” said Grant. “I was a little scared, but I managed to hole that eagle putt and make my way back in for the win.

“I was checking the leaderboard all the time just making sure everything was under control, which it wasn’t! It wasn’t under control, but I tried my best to keep up with her. On the last hole, I knew I just had to do my own thing.

“I think both me and Maja [Stark] and some other amateur girls had a good education before turning pro, so I’m not surprised we’re doing well, but this is a good start.”

It was an exceptional day for Gainer who fired a stunning 64, which was the joint-best round of the week, to finish in second place.

After rolling in five birdies on her front nine, the Englishwoman applied pressure to Grant and rolled in four more birdies on holes 10 through to 14.

A dropped shot at the last proved crucial, as she ended up with a total of 14-under, but it was still Gainer’s career-best round and best finish on the LET.

Watch out, @CaraGainer's about

A ????? start to the day sees the English star one shot off the lead as we head down the back nine ??#RaiseOurGame | #mithraladiesopen

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) May 29, 2022

“I’m so pleased, if you said I was going to shoot eight-under today I would have taken it straight away,” she said.

“I can’t be disheartened about the finish and Linn has played amazing all week, so I’ve got to be happy about the week in general.

“I did see on the last hole that we were tied, did that add a bit of pressure? I don’t know, but I wanted to see where I stood going into the final hole.

“Yesterday, I struggled a bit with the cameras, but today I thought to take every shot as it comes and make as many birdies as possible because I knew Linn wasn’t going to go backwards, she was only going to go forwards. I gave it a go!”

Maja Stark, who leads the 2022 Race to Costa del Sol, also shot a round of 64 (-8) on the final day to secure a T3 finish alongside Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux.

“I made some stupid mistakes this week, today could have gone better. I had some lip outs, but it feels good and 64 is my best round ever during a tournament,” said Stark. “I’m super excited, I feel like my game is there and I just need to skip the stupid mistakes.”

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