Marta Silva, from Santiago de Compostela, has opened the Spanish amateur golf world's international title count this season with her victory at the Women's International Championship of Portugal, held at Porto Santo Golf in Madeira. The Galician player defeated France's Anne-Lise Caudal in the final on the 34th hole of a best-of-36 match.

Both players maintained a spectacular battle throughout the two rounds, to the point that neither managed to lead their rival by more than two holes at any point. In fact, the initiative belonged to the French golfer for the most part, who displayed the experience accumulated in many prestigious amateur tournaments that distinguish her as a tenacious player, capable of overcoming all kinds of difficult situations.

Marta Silva, however, put up a fierce resistance from the start, responding time and again to the winning proposals of the Frenchwoman, who passed the theoretical halfway point of the grand final with a hole advantage over the Galician.

The second round was equally characterized by equality, a continuous back-and-forth that found its turning point from the 27th hole onwards. Marta Silva, Spanish Cadet Champion in 2005, won holes 28, 31 and 32 of that second round just before finally overtaking Anne-Lise Caudal again on the 34th thanks to an extraordinary approach shot that left the ball just 3 meters from the hole.

Marta Silva's triumph confirms the Santiago native as a player with enormous potential, already accumulating important titles –Doral Publix Junior Classic in the United States, gold medal in the 2005 European Under-16 Team Championship– which now continue with the Women's International of Portugal.

SEMIFINALS AND QUARTER-FINALS
The Women's International of Portugal will see Marta Silva face France's Anne-Lise Caudal in the final. The Spaniard defeated Emilie Alonso in the quarterfinals and Lucie Gendronnau in the semifinals. Carolina Andrade, who had brilliantly reached the quarterfinals, was defeated by the eventual finalist, Anne-Lise Caudal.

ROUND OF 16
Marta Silva from A Coruña and Carolina Andrade from Chiclana have reached the quarterfinals of the Women's International of Portugal tournament being held in Madeira. The other players in this stage of the competition are French, who also had a sensational performance during the first phase.

In the round of 16, Marta Silva had no problems against the Frenchwoman Marine Decrette, whom she eliminated on the 14th hole after exhibiting a solid superiority throughout the course.

Carolina Andrade, for her part, beat the Italian Anna Roscio on the last hole after maintaining an intense duel with the transalpine player.

Of the rest of the Spanish representation, Inés Tusquets from Barcelona lost to the Frenchwoman Jade Schaeffer on the 18th hole, Sonia Cólogan from the Canary Islands - the most outstanding of the Spanish players in the preliminary phase - fell to the Frenchwoman Julie Berton on the 17th hole, while Belén Buendía from Murcia had no chance against the Frenchwoman Anna Louise Caudal, being eliminated on the 13th hole.

SECOND DAY
Five of the six Spanish golfers present at the International Championship of Portugal held in Madeira have made the cut to access the playoffs for the title.

Sonia Cólogan from the Canary Islands, with 160 strokes, 7 more than the most outstanding player in the previous phase - the Frenchwoman Isabelle Boineau - led the group of Spanish women also made up of Marta Silva, Carolina Andrade, Inés Tusquets and Belén Buendía.

Only Araceli Felgueroso from Madrid, who was very inconsistent throughout, was unable to qualify among the top 16 at the end of the second day.

Marta Silva, who was leading the leaderboard at the end of the first round, was unable to repeat such a successful performance, falling to eighth place.

France, with nine representatives in the round of 16, is the country with the largest presence in this first step towards the title in this Women's International of Portugal.

CLASSIFICATION (at the end of the second day)
1.- Isabelle Boineau (France) 153 (78+75)
6.- Sonia Cloguen (Spain) 160 (83+77)
8.- Marta Silva (Spain) 161 (77+84)
10.- Carolina Andrade (Spain) 163 (80+83)
12.- Inés Tusquets (Spain) 164 (82+82)
15.- Belén Buendía (Spain) 165 (82+83)
28.- Araceli Felgueroso (Spain) 178 (89+89)
Note: The top 16 teams at the end of the second day qualify for the title playoffs.

FIRST DAY
Marta Silva has made a strong start at the International Championship of Portugal, taking place at Porto Santo Golf in Madeira. The golfer from A Coruña has taken the lead after the first round, sharing the top spot with France's Lucie Gendronnaeu.

Both players, with 77 strokes at the end of the day, stood out as the most in tune within a complicated day that was reflected in the results of the participants, larger than initially expected.

Marta Silva overcame all the setbacks during the first round, finishing with a par score thanks to two birdies - special mention for the one achieved on the 7th hole, covered in 2 strokes - and two bogeys.

However, the Coruña native could not find the formula to overcome the difficulties of the second round, especially in the last 3 holes, two bogeys that spoiled a card that had been very remarkable up to that point.

Of the rest of the Spanish representation, six players in total, Carolina Andrade from Chiclana is in eighth place (80 strokes) and Inés Tusquets (82) and Belén Buendía (82) in thirteenth, within the cut zone that will be established in 16th place at the end of the second day to access the eliminations for the title.

CLASSIFICATION (at the end of the first day)
1.- Marta Silva (Spain) 77
+.- Lucie Gendronneau (France) 77
8.- Carolina Andrade (Spain) 80
13.- Inés Tusquets (Spain) 82
+.- Belén Buendía (Spain) 82
17.- Sonia Cloguen (Spain) 83
28.- Araceli Felgueroso (Spain) 88
Note: The top 16 teams at the end of the second day qualify for the title playoffs.