French golfer Lucie Malchirand opted for home schooling when she was 13 years old so that she could focus on improving her golf.
Her decision was rewarded during the first round of the Standard Bank Ladies Open hosted by The City of Cape Town at Durbanville Golf Club with Malchirand chasing a maiden Sunshine Ladies Tour victory after opening with an eight-under-par 64 to lead by four strokes.
This was the 22-year old’s first competitive round of golf since the LET Qualifying School held in December.
“It was a really good round. It was my first round since Q-School so I’m really happy with my score today. My putting was amazing.”
Malchirand, who produced her best golf in the middle of her round where she picked up seven shots in a nine-hole stretch, was overjoyed at making an eagle on the par-five sixth hole.
“I reached the green in two and then made an amazing putt. I have worked a lot on my game this winter, and I’m really happy with the result. I think my game is strong. My driving is ok but it really is the short game that I’m most happy with. It was a good day.”
Malchirand said her strategy for Friday’s second round is to stick to her routine.
“I will try to focus on my routine and to keep putting well. I’ll also try to not get angry if I don’t do as well as I did today. But the course is really nice. I really like it. The greens are perfect. Compared to France, it’s really nice to play here. Cape Town is a beautiful city.”
Her closest challenger is Nobuhle Dlamini who opened with a round of five-under-par 67 followed by South Africa’s Cara Ford and Iceland’s Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir on four-under par 68.
Defending champion Gabrielle Venter finished her round with a score of 73.
SCORES
64 - Lucie Malchirand (FRA)
67 - Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ)
68 - Cara Ford, Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir (ISL)
69 - Lorna McClymont (SCO)
70 - Michaela Fletcher, Kaiyuree Moodley, Casandra Alexander
71 - Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA), Harang Lee (ESP), Lee-Anne Pace, Karoline Lund (NOR), Tereza Melecka (CZE), Chloe Salort (FRA), Carolin Kauffmann (GER), Maiken Bing Paulsen (NOR), Verena Gimmy (GER), Danielle du Toit
72 - Hanna Tauber (GER), Marta Perez Sanmartin (ESP), Elina Nummenpaa (FIN), Kiera Floyd, Emie Peronnin (FRA), Stacy Bregman, Romy Meekers (NED), Hayley Davis (ENG), Nadia van der Westhuizen, Kylie Henry (SCO)
73 - Andrea Lignell (SWE), Natasha Fear (ESP), Madelene Stavnar (NOR), Gabrielle Venter, Nina Pegova (WHT), Helen Kreuzer (GER), Emily Penttila (FIN), Tina Mazarino (NOR)
74 - Demi Flanagan, Symone Henriques, Rosie Belsham (ENG), Emma Falcher (FRA), Bronwyn Doeg, Isabella Deilert (SWE), Anne-Charlotte Mora (FRA), Sofie Kibsgaard (DEN), Sara Kjellker (SWE), Louisa Carlbom (SWE), Isabella van Rooyen, Bonita Bredenhann (NAM), Alexandra Swayne (ISV)
75 - Andrea Bergsdottir (ICE), Shannon O'Dwyer (ENG), Lenanda van der Watt, Anais Meyssonnier (FRA), Ana Dawson (IMN), Tandi McCallum, Kelsey Nicholas, Cara Gorlei, Florentyna Parker (ENG)
76 - Jessica Bailey (ENG), Celina Sattelkau (GER), Selena Costabile (CAN), Olivia Mehaffey (NIR), Tiia Koivisto (FIN), Brittney-Fay Berger, Louise Duncan (SCO), Zethu Myeki, Ellie Vorster (CAN)
77 - Jahaanvie Walia (ZAM), Abigail O'Riordan (IRL), Kajal Mistry, Laura Beveridge (SCO), Emma Grechi (FRA), Judith van der Voort (NED), Yolanda Duma, Ivanna Samu
78 - Claire Minter (ZIM), Lize-Mari Prinsloo, Thalia Martin (ENG), Corinne Viden (SWE), Linn Wiberg (SWE), Lora Assad, Lauren Taylor (ENG), Pasqualle Coffa (NED)
79 - Paris Hilinski (USA), Tara Griebenow, Michelle Forsland (NOR), Shawnelle de Lange, Chantal Dueringer (AUT), Clara Pietri (SUI)
80 - Vicki Traut (a), Leontine Petit (FRA), Chante van Zyl, Jane Turner (SCO)
81 - Kim de Klerk, Francesca Cuturi, Larissa Du Preez, Nikki Hofstede (NED)
82 - Eloise Healey (ENG), Lindi Coetzee, Hannah Arnold (USA), Vanessa Knecht (SUI)
83 - Carey Dodds
84 - Chante de Lange, Isabella Holpfer (AUT)
85 - Kayla van der Merwe (a)
87 - Lee-Ann van der Merwe (a)