The future of women's golf is here. The German player, an amateur of just eighteen years old, made history this morning at the Santander Golf Tour LETAS played at Naturávila Golf thanks to a total score of fourteen under par, one stroke less than Sweden's Kajsa Arwefjall. 

She thus becomes the only player in the history of this sport to achieve three consecutive victories in the LET Access Series, which are also the only three tournaments she has played on the circuit.

In the first round, leader Helen Briem got off to a strong start with a birdie on the par-five first hole. The German, continuing her form from the rest of the week, was hitting all her tee shots and using her wingspan to put distance between herself and her rivals. 

In the same group, England's Megan Dennis and Sweden's Kajsa Arwefjall weren't intimidated by the pace set by the Swede and missed birdie opportunities on the early holes, maintaining their lead over the amateur. However, between holes five and nine, Helen strung together three birdies to create some distance between herself and her pursuers, reaching fifteen under par, three strokes behind Megan, Kajsa, and amateur Cecilie Leth-Nissen.

The second nine holes of the featured match began with a major surprise for the spectators. What seemed like it would be another easy ride for the German player turned into a sea of doubt for the young prospect, who, with a poor tee shot, jeopardized her lead heading into the second round with a double bogey on the tenth hole. 

However, Helen proved she was made of sterner stuff and immediately followed it up with a birdie on the par-five eleventh hole. Two consecutive birdies on holes fourteen and fifteen (she missed a clear eagle opportunity) put her three strokes ahead of the Swede heading into the sixteenth hole, but what seemed like a sure victory was still going to give us some moments for the history books of this tournament. 

A bogey on the sixteenth put her back at fifteen under par, and after making par on the seventeenth, the tournament would be decided on the final hole, where Sweden's Kajsa Arwefjall needed to cut two strokes to force a playoff. The German, who until that moment seemed to feel no pressure, played her second shot from the eighteenth fairway and nearly went into the water. 

From the rough, she managed to recover and after two putts, added to the Swedish player's par, she added her third consecutive title on the circuit and made history in women's golf.

Leaving the 18th green after achieving a historic milestone on the LET Access Series, the German golfer commented: "When you find your rhythm, everything is easier. The truth is, everything is going my way right now, so I have to enjoy it." Asked about her dream month, she said, "I couldn't have imagined a month like this even in my wildest dreams. I finished 11th at the LET event in Germany and then lost the playoff in Sweden. After that, three straight wins on the LETAS. It's incredible.". 

He also had words for the Naturávila golf course and the region: «It’s very different from what I expected. Yesterday we went for a walk around the city, and it’s a pleasure to be here; everyone has treated us wonderfully.» Finally, he mentioned his father’s support during his short career: «The support he’s given me from the beginning is very special. I started playing not to be a professional, but because we had so much fun playing together. Without him, I wouldn’t be here today.»

As for the role of the Spanish women, the positive surprise of the day was Elena Hualde from Navarre, who delivered the second best round of the day with a total of 67 strokes to finish in third position. 

At the end of her round, she commented: "I felt really good overall today. I was very solid from tee to green, and my putting was definitely the best part." When asked about the next Santander Golf Tour event in Logroño, she said: "I'm really looking forward to playing at home, and my goal is to win." Meanwhile, María Parra finished in eleventh place at six under par, while Elena Melich (one under), María Herráez (even par), and Elisa Orduna (four over) ultimately couldn't close the gap on the leaders despite their good week.

Special mention should be made of Marta Muñoz from Ávila, who was instrumental in making it possible for this Santander Golf Tour event to be held at Naturávila Golf, her course for the past twenty-five years. 

Marta finished the day in 23rd place with a total score of four under par, but she was pleased with the experience of the week: "It's been a dream to be able to play at home with all my family and friends. Today I had my brother as my caddie and also the support of my niece, who accompanied me throughout the round." The golfer from Ávila also lamented not being able to achieve the result she had hoped for despite her strong performance: "It's a shame because I missed 13 birdie opportunities today. I couldn't sink a single putt, and I feel like I could have done much better."«

SOURCE: Tournament Organization