Agathe Sauzon (Pic: LET Access) and Tvesa Malik (Pic: File)
Geneva, Switzerland, Sep 23: Tvesa Malik continued her journey through Europe as she shot two-over 74 in the opening round of the Lavaux Ladies Open on Wednesday evening. Tvesa, who finished T-10 last week at the Lacoste Open de France on the Ladies European Tour, is lying T-38 after the first round.
France’s Agathe Sauzon fired a flawless round of 66 (-6) to take a two-shot lead from an international trio including last weeks’ winner Tiia Koivisto, Welshwoman Lydia Hall and England’s Cara Gainer.
Golf De Lavaux looked sensational in the Swiss sun and despite the rain threatening to break through the clouds, the whole field stayed dry and Sauzon was the first to make the most of the scoreable conditions.
Sauzon, 28, from France made a birdie on the par three 2nd before promptly holing her second shot from the fairway on the par four 3rd hole for eagle. After heading out in 33 shots, Sauzon continued to play flawless golf, repeatedly hitting fairways and greens, and added another three birdies to her card to match her opening nine and come back in 33 to sign for a 66.
Finishing in T14 last year, Sauzon is familiar with the Swiss parkland layout and despite achieving five top-10 LETAS finishes last season, is still in search of her maiden victory.
Trailing by two strokes at four-under-par is recent winner and Order of Merit leader, Tiia Koivisto. The in-form Finn who had a roller-coaster round including seven birdies, a double-bogey and a bogey en route to a 68 and was matched by LET winner Lydia Hall and last week’s runner-up Cara Gainer.
A further shot adrift in T5 at three-under par is a number of big names including the highest ranked player in the field Sanna Nuutinen, Slovenian teenage prodigy Pia Babnik and defending champion Maria Beautell.
