Swiss Albane Valenzuela Making Case For Solheim Cup Spot
-
Loading... - Miles Fuller
- 29 Aug 2024
- 58 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland is making a strong bid for a captain’s pick at the Solheim Cup with her impressive performance at the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews. After starting with two rounds of 74, the 26-year-old surged up the leaderboard on Moving Day with a flawless 6-under 66, jumping from T60 to T10 as she headed into the final round at the iconic Old Course.
The three-time Olympian came out strong on Saturday, securing birdies on the first and third holes, then adding two more on the par-5 5th and par-4 7th to finish the front nine in 32, bringing her back to level par. She maintained her momentum on the back nine, picking up birdies on 10 and 14 to post a 66, putting her at 2-under overall, just five shots behind leader Jiyai Shin.
Valenzuela acknowledged the favorable conditions: “Definitely having less wind was an advantage in the morning, so I just tried to capitalize on that and play some good golf. The last two days, I hit the ball really well but struggled with my putting. I feel like the game is in a good spot, and I just tried to give my best today.”
While her stellar 66 is her lowest round on the LPGA Tour since her 66 at The Amundi Evian Championship, it has broader implications. Currently outside of automatic qualification for the Solheim Cup, Valenzuela needs a win to secure a spot outright, but her strong play at St Andrews could catch the eye of European Solheim Cup Captain Suzann Pettersen, who is present at the tournament. With four captain’s picks up for grabs, Valenzuela hopes her performance speaks volumes as she aims to make her case for her first Solheim Cup appearance.
