After going pro in 2020, Albane Valenzuela, who represents Switzerland, is still searching for her first LPGA triumph. If that first victory occurred at the location of her parents' first date and was a major, it would be, put it mildly, coincidental.
The former Stanford golfer is currently 36 holes into a difficult test in her homeland of Geneva, Switzerland. After Round 3, she gently climbed the leaderboard to T-11 and has steadily improved her score: 70-69-64.
Valenzuela claimed, "I just played pretty well, but I don't feel like I've played the course any differently. I missed a couple of putts.
Only "a few" missed putts led to eight birdies and a score of 7-under 64. Her one bogey was on the par-3 14th, which put her one stroke above the week's lowest score.
Valenzuela has cut nine times in 18 starts among the five women's majors, despite having perhaps her worst track record before this year at Evian: six starts, one cut (T-37). Valenzuela appears to be more at ease this year, not just at Evian but also with her game more generally.
I stayed with my college roommates after the Palos Verdes [Championship], and it took me a while to realize that Albane as a golfer and Albane as a young woman are two very different persons, Valenzuela said on Saturday. They don't have to be incompatible with one another.
Valenzuela continued, "You know, I think I gave myself even more chances. I missed quite a few putts for a birdie on the back nine, including ones on 18, 16, 15, and 14, and a shorter putt on 18.
And I had the impression that I had just given myself chances all day. I was never too far away.
On the course where her parents first met, it might not all come together ideally. Still, even a career-best primary finish would be a thrilling conclusion to another motivational chapter in the Valenzuela family's Evian scrapbook
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