Carlota Ciganda from Navarre and Xavi Puig from Catalonia have been crowned LACOSTE PROMESAS champions at La Manga Club, Murcia. Carlota carded a second round of 75, over 2, to finish at +1; and Xavi turned in another round of 69, under 4, for a total of 8 under par.

The runners-up were Belén Buendía, with seven strokes more than the champion, and Jordi García Pintado who, after a very exciting and close match, made it quite difficult for Xavi Puig to finish with two strokes more.

Carlota Ciganda, the player from Ulzama, has won practically everything at just 15 years old, and her list of achievements is impressive. But the reigning European Champion was missing the Lacoste Promises trophy, which she lost last year in the final holes to Marta Silva from Galicia: “I was thrilled to win, I’m so happy. I played really well on the first nine holes, shooting for birdie the whole time, but I only managed it on the seventh, where I hit a drive, a blaster, and sank a good putt from five meters. However, I missed some short shots from two and one meter. The back nine was a mixed bag; on the fourteenth, I had to play a left-handed shot because I went behind some bushes, and on the sixteenth, I three-putted. Despite not playing as I should have, I’m happy to have won this tournament; I was really disappointed last year.”.

While the women's competition seemed to belong solely to Carlota, the two Catalan players, Xavi Puig (El Prat) and Jordi García Pinto (Girona), had a very close match, which Jordi seemed to have under control halfway through the course. After the first nine holes, Jordi was 8 under and two strokes ahead of Xavi, but a double bogey on the eleventh slowed his momentum and opened the door for Xavi, who birdied the same hole to take a one-stroke lead.

On the twelfth they were tied when Xavi's ball fell into the bunker; but he immediately recovered with a good birdie from three meters, and from there he maintained the lead until the end, finishing with a birdie on the 18th like a true champion, playing a perfect drive in the middle of the fairway, and a seven iron to the center of the green.

Xavi Puig is 16 years old and this season he was part of the national team that won the Under-16 European Championship; he is currently number one in Spain in his Cadet category: “This is the championship of my life. I had a great time, I learned a lot from the professional players, especially from Jiménez who taught us on-field strategy, and on top of that they showered us with gifts. Last night, when we went back to our room after dinner, there was an MP3 player on the bed. I had to play well and make two great runs to beat Jordi. Before, I felt more comfortable and confident with the long game, but now I'm putting much better.”.

WOMEN'S CLASSIFICATION
1.- Carlota Ciganda (Ulzama) 72-75= 147
2.- Belén Buendía (Altorreal) 77-76= 153
3.- Mandy Goyos (La Coruña) 79-82= 161
+.- Mireia Prat (Osona Montanya) 85-76= 161
5. Rocío Sánchez (Guadalmina) 80-82= 162
+.- Teresa Puga (La Coruña) 78-84= 162
7.- Elia Folch (Sant Joan) 80-84= 164
8- Nerea Salaverría (San Sebastián) 81-84= 165
9.- Consuelo Gotor (Las Pinaíllas) 82-87= 169
10.- Rosa Ana Rivas (La Cañada) 91-83= 174

MEN'S CLASSIFICATION
1.- Xavier Puig (El Prat) 69-69= 138
2.- Jordi García Pinto (Girona) 71-69= 140
3.- Oliver Mena (La Cañada) 80-77= 157
+.- Gabriel Alonso (Ría de Vigo) 80-77= 157
+.- Saúl Menéndez (Madera III) 77-80= 157
6.- Carlos Lucendo (Mudela) 79-79= 158
7.- Gervasio Cuquejo (La Cañada) 79-81= 160
8.- Miguel Larrañeta (Ulzama) 83-79= 162
9.- Benat Arteche (Zarauz) 84-86= 170 10.- Carlos Yebra (RACE) 85-86= 171