Fatima Fernandez Cano birdied her first three holes Saturday at the 2022 Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic. A bogey on the fourth was the only blemish on her scorecard. She did the eagle spin in the ninth. She then scored another eagle and four more birdies over the back nine at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona.
In the end, Fernández Cano signed for an 11-under 61 in the third round, setting a course and career record. Oh, he also went on to tie the lowest score in Epson Tour history.
“It’s my lowest score, I think even in practice to be honest,” he said after a round that included 16 greens in regulation. “I just had it coming out. A very good day and tomorrow with a good mentality”.
Michaela Finn shot a 61 in the first round of the 2021 season finale.
Fernández Cano’s theatrics also took her to the top of the standings at 15 under par. She will sleep with a 54-hole lead over Laura Restrepo by one shot and Haylee Harford by two. Alana Uriell and Sophie Hausmann are tied for fourth place at 12 under.
Defending champion Ruixin Liu is among a group tied for 10th at 9 under.
After his 31 in the first nine, Fernández Cano hit the gas in the last nine. He birdied the 10th before back-to-back pairs at numbers 11 and 12. He then holed out for an eagle on the par 4 13 before scoring three more birdies.
“She was on a different level,” her caddy James Longman said.
“I’m happy with the fact that I stayed aggressive,” Fernandez Cano said. “No. 13, he had a bad lie on the street. Fortunately, we had a very good club and a good shot from 145 yards. Then No. 15, he had an eagle putt and that’s when I knew this round was approaching a very low number of 60.”
This is the second event on the 2022 Epson Tour schedule. In January, the LPGA announced a five-year deal with Epson to make the technology company the title sponsor of the “Road to the LPGA” qualifying tour, formerly known as the Symetra Tour.
Now in its 42nd season, the newly named Epson Tour will award LPGA membership to the top 10 players on the Race for the Card money list at the end of each season.
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