Carlota aims to reign in Spain
“I love playing in Spain,” she told Golf Digest Middle East. “It is great to get that home support, especially just now as there are quite a few events going on and I always seem to do quite well. When I won last year and even last week I had lots of family and lots of friends Aramco Team Series returns to Sotogrande, with around me on and off the course, so in-form Ciganda targeting more Spanish success it is always a lot of fun to aver that added element. By Matt Smith “Playing in front of them is always great and I can’t wait to be back playing at Sotogrande in the Aramco event. arlota Ciganda is no stranger to winning in her home “The team event is a great addition. I country of Spain of late and now she has set her sights played last year in Saudi and it is a fun on adding August’s Aramco Team Series — Sotogrande time, playing in teams over the three days. So I am excited to get there and to her collection. get going.” Having been around for more than a The 32-year-old claimed a wire-to- winning the Solheim Cup three times decade now, Ciganda is thrilled to see wire victory on home soil in the Ladies in five appearances for Team Europe. Now she has found her way back the likes of the LET finally get the prize European Tour Estrella Damm Ladies Open outside Barcelona in July — and to the top of the podium with perfect money and recognition she believes it needed all her experience and nerve timing ahead of a key part of the 2022 has deserved for some time now, with to hold off a pack including Scotland’s season thanks to her Estrella Damm the Aramco events and Saudi funding Laura Beveridge, Swedish pair Maja victory just outside Barcelona, and help boost purses and attract the top Stark and Elin Arvidsson and Argen- nothing gives her more satisfaction players. For example, the LPGA’s sutine Magdalena Simmermacher. That and motivation than playing in her na- perstar sisters Nelly and Jessica Korda have signed up for Sotogrande at La followed up on her success at the An- tive Spain. With two majors — the Amundi Evian Reserva Club and they will compete in dalucía Costa del Sol Open de Espana Championship in Spain and the AIG Spain for the first time. last November. “I think that Aramco The Pamplona native burst on to Women’s Open in CARLOTA CIGANDA is great for women’s the Ladies European Tour scene with Scotland — taking AGE 32 golf,” she said. “These a flourish as she bagged the Rookie of place in quick sucLIVES PAMPLONA, SPAIN five $1 million events the Year, Player of the Year and Order of cession ahead of the HEIGHT 5 FT 8 IN (1.73 M) on the LET are great Merit titles as she made her bow in 2012 Sotogrande Aramco COLLEGE ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY for the tour and for the — claiming her first two titles in the team competition TURNED PROFESSIONAL 2011 girls, bringing in more back in Spain from Netherlands and China in the process. PROFESSIONAL WINS 8 elite competition along Ciganda has never looked back, add- August 18 to 20, it will AWARDS the way.” ing a further six top-flight crowns on be a busy time for LET ROOKIE OF THE YEAR 2012 LET ORDER OF MERIT WINNER 2012 However, she insists the LPGA and LET series, registering Ciganda in Europe for LET PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2012 more needs to be done. five top-5 finishes in the majors, and the next month or so.
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golfdigestme.com
august 2022
PHOTOGRAPHS BY TRISTAN JONES/LET
