CARLOTA CIGANDA AND TEAM ROUSSIN BOUCHARD START FAST IN TAMPA, AIMING TO RETAIN TITLES

Spanish ace Carlota Ciganda has put herself in contention to retain her Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF title in the United States, after a super six-under-par gave her a share of the lead at Feather Sound Country Club.

Ciganda fired a scintillating eight birdies on day one of the Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF – Tampa, only for back-to-back bogeys on holes 12 and 13 to mar an otherwise superb round of golf.

“I started pretty well,” the Solheim Cup legend reflected. “I am very happy to start the day six-under. The course is slightly wider, so I started really well. I had a couple of bogeys on the back nine - but I managed to finish with three birdies in the last five holes, so overall, I’m happy.”

Ciganda is joined at six-under-par by Chloe Williams, with the Welsh wizard going blemish free, recording four birdies and an eagle to tie it at the top. Joining Williams and Ciganda at the summit is both Kim Metraux and Marina Alex, with the top of the leaderboard tightly balanced going into day two of the three-day event.

The team side of the event is tied between Team Law and Team Roussin Bouchard, with the French star looking to retain her team title from the 2023 event in Florida.

Roussin-Bouchard is joined by compatriot Celine Herbin, Englishwoman Meg MacLaren, and Saudi Arabian amateur Lujain Omar Khalil, with the team sharing the lead at 18-under-par.

“We really complete each other as a team, scoring birdies but not at the same time,” said Roussin Bouchard. “Our amateur did an amazing job on the couple of holes where she had an [extra] shot. It was an amazing round, and it was beautiful to watch.”

Sharing the lead at 18-under-par is Team Law - led by England’s Bronte Law and completed by Germany’s Sophia Popov, India’s Pranavi Urs and amateur Jim Boddy.

Popov made her triumphant return to professional golf, following a hiatus of almost two years following a shoulder injury and the arrival of her first child. Popov signed off her return with a three-under-par 69, made all the better by her husband and daughter being in attendance.

“She just loves the walk,” Popov said of her newborn taking in the golf course. “I don't think she knows what's going on, but for me, it's just nice to see her there and to have her along as this journey continues.”

“But we’re right where we want to be,” Popov surmised on her performance. “You never know with the first round coming back - there's definitely nerves and there's definitely things that you have to get ingrained again in your head when you're out there.”

One of the intriguing storylines coming from a fiercely competitive first day was Singapore’s Shannon Tan. Tan, who shocked the Ladies European Tour (LET) with a debut win at the Magical Kenya Open, was in fine form once again.

It’s been less than 12 months since Tan was competing as a championship-amateur in Singapore at the Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF - and Tan has not shied away from the increased attention to come with her remarkable rise, carding a four-under-par score of 68 to keep her inside the top 10.

Day two of the Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF – Tampa tees off at Feather Sound Country Club at 8:55am on Saturday 9 March, with the 28 teams battling it out for glory on the final day of the team event before a Sunday shootout for the individual title.